Queer/ing museological technologies of display

Abstract

Recent research has shown that the stories and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people are largely absent in museums internationally. At the same time, there is a growing awareness in the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector that public-facing cultural institutions have a duty to reflect diversity in all its forms, to take an active approach to inclusion and to promote understanding between different groups, communities and cultures. What, then, might such an undertaking entail? Moving beyond assimilationist approaches to inclusion this article elaborates a ‘queering’ of contemporary museum practices, the often invisiblized assumptions that inform them and the ethico-political effects that they produce. The article will draw on examples from our own practice as museum curators in South Australia inspired by international and Australian artists and curators including Matt Smith (UK) and Jo Derbyshire (Australia).