FOLK
– from breed types to DNA sequences
- Rase som et biologisk begrep burde vært dødt for lenge siden. Men rasetenking og beslektede ideer er dessverre i framgang. Dette ubehagelige paradokset er bakgrunnen for utstillingen FOLK sier utstillingskuratorene Jon Røyne Kyllingstad og Ageliki Lefkaditou. Foto: Åsa MikkelsenUtstillingen FOLK utforsker de historiske og nåtidens studier av menneskelig biologisk variasjon og samspillet mellom forskning, samfunn og kultur. Utstillingens beskjed er tydelig: Vi tilhører alle den samme arten, Homo sapiens, og vårt DNA er mer enn 99% identisk. Denne lille variasjonen er produkt av et samspill mellom gener, miljø, migrasjoner og kontakt mellom folk. På grunn av dette, kan vi ikke trekke klare grenser mellom distinkte grupper. Disse gruppene finnes ikke i naturen. Den vitenskapelige rasismens storhetstid er kanskje over, men raseforestillinger lever videre på ulike måter – ikke bare i ekstreme ideologier, men også i etablerte tenkemåter og hvordan vi i dagliglivet forholder oss til hverandre.
The exhibition opens up for reflection on the long and problematic history of interest in the biological similarities and differences between humans. Such research has helped to legitimize slavery, colonialism, class differences and nationalism, and is still linked to the powerful forces of identity narratives. PEOPLE points out the links between historical race research and examples of exploitation, discrimination, brutal assimilation and extermination of millions of people around the world. But visitors also encounter resistance to racist ideologies from researchers, activists and politicians.
- Spørsmålene om tidligere vitenskapelig rasisme og dens effekter samt de etiske og politiske implikasjonene av DNA-forskningen er oftest skjult i samfunnsdebatter. FOLK aktualiserer slike sammenhenger. Vi bidrar med kritisk holdning og historisk bevissthet avslutter førstekonservator i helse- og medisinhistorie ved Medisinsk museum, Ageliki Lefkaditou. Foto: Håkon Bergseth
The idea of race has not only had a catastrophic human cost. It has also led science astray in its efforts to map the evolutionary history of humanity and to explain biological differences between people. In the last two decades, genetics has undergone a technological revolution, producing vast amounts of new data about individuals and populations. In the present-day part of the exhibition, visitors gain insight into how this is changing our understanding of human diversity and take part in a discussion about the opportunities and challenges of research.
- Racism is not just about brown skin. It's about Sami, Tatars and Roma. There is more and more research on this, but not enough. I was at the Folk exhibition at The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology , and I was completely dizzy, says performing artist, playwright and musician Camara Lundestad Joof. Photo: Håkon Bergseth
The exhibition discusses science as a process, striving to understand how the world works. But science is always part of society and limited by the individual abilities of researchers and their institutional commitments. In an age of “fake news”, a critical approach to research is important. FOLK points out how contemporary research is still surrounded by difficult questions. These questions are scientific, political, social and ethical. Access to genetic material, language, methods and theories used, and the interpretation of results are still controversial.
The activity The Sound of the People invites visitors to express the concepts of identity and belonging through sound images that describe emotions. Our emotions and the sounds we associate with them are as diverse as our identities, origins, cultures and ways of being. With this activity, curiosity and reflections are opened up in many ways about how people are alike and different.
FOLK should be an open and inclusive arena that stimulates discussions and makes it possible for all visitors to engage with the topic.
The exhibition is produced in collaboration with the University of Oslo: Cultural History Museum, Department of University History (MUV, UiO). Co-producers are Árran Lule Sami Centre, Grorud Youth Council, Setesdal Museum. The exhibition is funded by the Research Council of Norway and Fritt Ord.
The museum as a meeting place and dialogue arena
The museum as a dialogue arena. Photo: Håkon Bergseth
For the museum, it is important to use the institution as a starting point for exploratory conversation and real participation. In 2018, various types of events and meetings were held. Many of these have been connected to the Medical Museum's main initiative PEOPLE, others have been based on the museum's other themes and collections: On September 2, there was a launch of Inger E. Nitter's book Den indre polferden. Psykosen som bilderspråk, with a display of some of Nitter's banners and a conversation between her, art historian Ingeborg Høvik and literary scholar Marie-Therese Federhofer. On September 28, at the event Researchers' Night, in collaboration with Forskningsdagene, psychologist Christian Schlüter participated in a discussion on personality, artist Martin White in a discussion on psychiatrist CW Sem-Jacobsen and filmmaker Ellen Ugelstad in a discussion on mental health. On October 24, the first meeting in the discussion series Medisinske rom. Diagnosens makt av stabelenen took place. Nine special invitees and over 100 visitors spent the evening discussing the soon-to-be-historic diagnosis of transsexualism, to become a little wiser together.