Musées de l’immigration: nouvelles muséographies, anciens paradigmes Translated title: Immigration museums: new museographies, old paradigms

Abstract

RÉSUMÉ En tant qu’institutions mémorielles, les musées jouent un grand rôle dans la construction identitaire. Les représentations du passé et du patrimoine culturel local sont essentielles pour le développement de l’identité nationale ou régionale. La transformation d’anciennes installations qui accueillaient les immigrés - comme Ellis Island à New York - dans des sites mémoriels (lieux de mémoire) qui mettent en scène leurs histoires. Grâce à cette patrimonialisation des mémoires d’immigrés, un nouveau discours sur l’immigration et l’identité se met en place: les mémoires souvent oubliées - un oubli volontaire parfois - trouvent leur place dans les musées et permettent de créer un récit narratif sur l’immigration à partir de récits personnels. Pourtant, la mise en musée de l’histoire de l’immigration reste un défi dans le paysage muséal international. Ainsi, plusieurs questions se posent: En quoi consiste le patrimoine de l’immigration? Comment mettre en musée l’immigration? Les tentatives de représentation des immigrés dans l’espace muséal reflètent-elles un paradigme national? Les musées d’immigration représentent une variante du musée de société par leur approche participative et par la volonté de créer un lien envers les communautés d’origine immigrée. À travers la constitution d’un patrimoine de l’immigration, le musée développe une démarche participative auprès des différentes communautés pour mettre en valeur leurs récits et aussi devenir un facilitateur d’une identité plus inclusive. Une approche interdisciplinaire est donc souvent favorisée par ces musées apportant ainsi des nouveaux regards qui peuvent remettre en question nos propres paradigmes sur la société ou groupe représenté. Dans cet article, il s’agit de mettre en perspective les caractéristiques constitutives des musées de l’immigration ainsi que l’importance de l’histoire orale (récits personnels d’immigrés), objets-mémoires et l’art contemporain dans l’élaboration d’expositions qui souhaitent créer une certaine forme d’empathie chez le visiteur.

Translated abstract

RESUMO Como instituições memoriais, os museus desempenham grande papel na construção da identidade, sendo as representações do passado e do patrimônio cultural local essenciais para o desenvolvimento da identidade nacional/regional. A transformação de antigas instalações representativas para imigrantes - como Ellis Island em Nova York - em “lugares de memória” mostra certa mudança de atitude quanto à imigração, que tem transformado o status de “diáspora” e destacado identidades culturais. Graças a patrimonialização das memórias, novos discursos sobre imigração e identidade foram criados: as memórias, frequentemente esquecidas - muitas vezes voluntariamente -, encontram lugar nos museus e permitem construir narrativas sobre a imigração através de relatos pessoais. Contudo, a musealização da história da imigração permanece desafiadora na paisagem internacional dos museus, suscitando diferentes questões: no que consiste o patrimônio da imigração? Como musealizar a imigração? As tentativas de representar os imigrantes nesses espaços refletem um paradigma nacional? Os museus da imigração representam uma variante do museu de sociedade, pela abordagem participativa e pela iniciativa de criar vínculos com comunidades de origem imigrante. Através da constituição de patrimônios locais sobre a imigração, o museu desenvolveu uma abordagem junto às comunidades imigrantes, destacando seu caráter memorial e inclusivo. Trata-se de uma perspectiva interdisciplinar, beneficiada pelos melhores museus e adequada aos novos espaços que se propõem a abordar o tema. Neste artigo, pretende-se pensar as características constitutivas dos museus de imigração e a importância da história oral (relatos pessoais de imigrantes), memorabilia e arte contemporânea na elaboração de exposições que planejam criar certa forma de empatia no visitante.

Translated abstract

ABSTRACT As memorial institutions, museums play a big role in identity construction, with representations of the past and the cultural heritage being essential to developing national/regional identities. Transforming old representative facilities of immigrants - such as Ellis Island in New York - into “memory sites” shows a certain transformation in attitudes towards immigration, which has changed the status of “diaspora” and evidenced cultural identities. Due to the recognition of the heritage value of the memories, new discourses about immigration and identity were created: the memories, often forgotten - many times voluntarily -, find their place in museums and allow the construction of narratives about immigration from personal accounts. However, exhibiting immigration history continues to be a challenge within international museum spaces, raising various questions: What is immigration heritage? How to exhibit immigration? Do attempts at representing immigrants in these spaces mirror a national paradigm? Immigration museums represent a variant of the society museum by the participatory approach and the initiative to create a link with communities of immigrant origin. By constituting a local heritage on immigration, the museum has developed an approach with immigrant communities, highlighting its memorial and inclusive character. It is an interdisciplinary approach, which is favored by the best museums and suitable for new spaces intending on approaching the theme. In this article, we aim to consider the constitutive characteristics of immigration museums and the importance of oral history (personal accounts of immigrants), memorabilia, and contemporary art in developing exhibitions that plan to create a certain form of empathy in the visitor.