Memories of Excavations Past: Revisiting the Syria Exhibition at the University of Melbourne Two Years On

Van de Ven, Annelies [UCL]

This chapter focuses on how the Syria: Ancient History – Modern Conflict exhibition organised at the Ian Potter Museum of Art in 2017 was able to combine its university-mandated educational function while simultaneously grappling with themes of memory and empathy. I will attempt to shed light on the curatorial choices made in this exhibition, from the aims and messages it seeks to promote, to the interpretative tools and engagement strategies it deployed. As this is a critical reflection, I also describe several challenges faced by the curatorial team and the shortcomings that have become clear with two years of hindsight. The first section will focus on the emotional engagement of the exhibition, as mediated through the materials provided by the archaeologists of the Australian-Syrian campaigns. Following this the University of Melbourne’s Syria exhibition is compared with others in the field in order to determine the role of local voices in the modern museology of the ancient Middle East. The subsequent sections analyse the use of Palmyra in the exhibition, as a significant site that has become a symbol of both destruction and resistance in recent conflicts. This will also involve a discussion of wider issues that have emerged since the start of the conflict, particularly the notion of academic objectivity in safeguarding heritage and the role of reconstruction, whether digital or physical in our commemoration of Syrian archaeological sites. Finally, I will look to the human loss, as well as the potential for healing and collaborative futures. By exploring the exhibition, both on the micro-scale of personal memory and in the context of wider discussions in the field, I aim to highlight the role of museums as a forum for both debate and reconciliation. It is my hope that this chapter be read as both a celebration of the exhibition’s achievements and a guide for future improvements.