Curatorial speeches and representation of the past in Latin America museums

Abstract

The lack of critical reflection on the discourses and representations that museums performed of history, coupled with the underestimation of the museum’s knowledge, contributed to the understanding of the past, in some cases led to the absence of a problematization and curatorial analysis in Latin America (LA). In this context, this work has as goal think about curatorial speeches in the past LA representation. To do this, I observed the links between cultural ideology and socio-political context of nineteenth-century in LA and its influence on the curatorial discourse. Then, in contemporary times, I took in consideration the most important museological discussions in the region (Mesa Redonda de Santiago de Chile, Declaración de Oaxtepec and Declaración de Caracas), which they were placed in an LA autonomous context. In each of them, I analyzed the influence they had in the production of museological speeches. Finally, following the Declaración de Buenos Aires, I proposed some guidelines, that solve problems from the past in musealization, as heterogeneous and inclusive vision of the history, society and heritage.