The Frontstage Power of Non-selective Curation

This chapter tracks how power performed in case study two when applying the developing method of non-selective curation. It will show how the method is effective frontstage of the process, with an entirely different effect backstage. This phenomenon is one found across all the case studies as a tricky balance museum professionals tread when trying to create ethically charged ‘meaningful participation’ whilst occupying a field of cultural production that is reliant on withholding the very power they wish to give. The auto-ethnographic observations presented show a difficult environment where the organisation’s duty of care hinders social justice ideals. The museum and the funded partner find this collaboration difficult as they do not perform with transparency in their backstage negotiations. They make heteronomous decisions to appease the political-economic pressures on cultural production ultimately retaining decision-making control. However, the participant has no understanding that there are limits to their decision-making or what these limits are unless they are told. Ultimately, the collaborative element of co-curation seems to keep participation within certain parameters as the museum and funded partner retain the ultimate decision-making powers.