The Exhibition <i>Meet Them</i> as a Tool for Shaping Historical Memory in Uruguay

Abstract

Using the example of the exhibition Meet Them ( Encontrarte con Ellos ) at the J.M. Blanes Museum of Fine Arts (Montevideo, Uruguay), the article examines the process of reflection on the tragic events of national history, namely the crimes of the 1970s–1980s Uruguayan dictatorship. The research focuses on the question of whether the commemoration of painful experiences is able to consolidate societies by means of discussion and reflection. The process of the collective memory building within the Uruguayan society is considered on the example of the creative initiative of intellectuals undertaken within the framework of the exhibition. They created works, beyond specific genres and concepts, that told the stories of political dissidents who had been abducted and then disappeared. These works are based on real testimonies and designed not to let the history fade in silence. The data collection, which was mandatory for the artists participating in the project, is viewed as a significant and unique investigative feature that, while demanding additional effort from the artists, made the exhibition stand out. It appears as an elaborate sociocultural project that combines documentary evidence with visual images of the silent victims of political repression created by the artists, and the museum of affect in this case serves as a place of memory. Several pieces presented at the exhibition are considered from the point of view of symbolic and creative interpretation of memories and data gathered by the artists, as well as their impressions and sometimes personal stories and experiences intertwined with the story of a particular victim gone missing. However, the manipulative effect of collective memory as a phenomenon, which has historically been actively employed by certain political forces and leaders to increase popularity and gain support, is taken into account. The project is aimed at raising public awareness of the issues on which the artists elaborated through their work, so under certain conditions the exhibition can be conducive to the construction of national and local identities among Uruguayans. The concept of the exhibition favors the achievement of these objectives, but only over time will it be possible to evaluate the extent to which they have been met. At the same time, the reaction of some influential figures to this initiative, as well as significant steps taken by public institutions in order to provide support for commemorative initiatives have shown that a certain part of the Uruguayan elite is generally tilted toward the acceptance of such manifestations of civic engagement.