Alexander Nagel Guest Lecture

Beyond a Single Narrative: Transparencies, Beautiful Objects, and Museum Archives

Inspired by the great writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s call to question “the single story,” this lecture considers how photographic transparencies and museum archives can reveal the many lives of museum collections. Rather than reinforcing a single interpretation, these materials expose unexpected connections, recover overlooked histories, and encourage more nuanced understandings of cultural heritage. Through case studies that engage with collecting, interpretation, and repatriation of materials from ancient Yemen, the lecture explores how objects have been made active participants in dialogue, collaboration, and the rebuilding of relationships between museums and source communities. Recognizing the plurality of stories embedded within collections opens new possibilities for more inclusive and ethically engaged museum practice.

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Leslie Casteel