Representations of migration, borders and memories in exhibitions: a multimodal text analysis

Abstract

Many museums and galleries today address migration stories in their exhibitions. In this article, a methodological framework based on a multimodal social semiotic approach is used for the analysis of the meaning potentials of exhibitions. A particular focus is directed towards how the conceptions of migration, borders and memory represent themselves multimodally, in terms of general structure, orchestration of semiotic resources, the use of figurative language and explicit/implicit values. This methodological framework helped uncover hidden messages of interests and ideologies in different exhibitions. The study contributes to research on multimodal texts and exhibitions, as well as educational research.

Curating Unity: A Multi-modal Reading of Archaic, the National Pavilion of Iraq at the 57th Venice Biennale

“…A number of studies have successfully used semiotic approaches in exhibition analysis to investigate curatorial strategies in meaning construction and communication (Maroevic 1995;Meng 2004;Lindstrand and Insulander 2012;Insulander 2019). Following this approach, the material forms of an exhibition can be understood as sign complexes.…”

“…The second model of analysis based on semiotics that has been used in exploring the production of knowledge by exhibitions was originally developed for teachers to understand students' meaning-making in various disciplines in the classroom (Danielsson and Selander 2016). Later, the model was extended to analyse the representation of migration in exhibitions (Insulander 2019). What distinguishes this model from the first one is that it investigates displayed objects for meaning potentials.…”

“…According to the education researcher Eva Insulander, the analysis of figurative language and values in any exhibition reveals 'the assumptions that an exhibition makes' and helps to identify meanings of political ideology (Insulander 2019). Taking inspiration in this approach, I embark on the analysis of figurative language and values in the Archaic in order to better understand the image of Iraq communicated by the exhibition.…”

Summary of PART II

“…One example is an analysis of a physics lesson, where the lesson itself including activities and resources used was regarded "text" (Danielsson 2017). In another study the model was used to analyse museum exhibitions (Insulander 2019).…”