More than Masks

Permanent exhibitions are often seen as static spaces where the state of research is considered closed. The exhibition “More than Masks” is not finished and rather depicts a snapshot of ongoing research. On the Pacific Northwest coast of North America (Turtle Island), there were war moves, trade, and innovation exchanges between First Nation communities that resulted in tightly knit communities. Due to forced assimilation during colonialism, communities were forced to discard traditional practices or practice them in secret. Therefore, the reappraisal of the collection is embedded in a close exchange with First Nation communities who work relationally within their Indigenous research approaches.

Hauke Ziessler (Transcultural Project Coordinator for North America) will contextualize the work using the example of several cultural objects and the augmented reality application in the exhibition, and provide insights into ongoing research.