Exhibiting Democracy
- Debbie Challis
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
In 2008 I was a consultant for a Classical Receptions project at Open University, under the guidance of Lorna Hardwick and Carol Gillepsie. I had pitched an examination of two major exhibitions in the USA on democracy in 1992/93 and their impact and legacies within political and cultural debates at the time and since. This research - equal to a book - was posted online for free and then posted online again in 2013. However, it is no longer there and given the discussions around The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's film of it and current readings of Classics within American politics and culture, I thought I'd find my research and share it. This has not been updated since 2008, but hopefully it is still of use.
N.B. I will add links to the below sections once blogged them. It'll take a month or two to get it all online!
Introduction
In 1992/93 the 2,500th anniversary of democracy was celebrated. The anniversary of the beginning of Greek democracy was held in 1992/3 due to the reforms of Kleisthenes in 508/7 BCE. Though, the date of the anniversary was in dispute and could also be celebrated in 1993/4 due to accounting for the year 0. Various scholars also advocated different moments for the celebration of democracy, for example Karl Raaflaub argued that the defining moment of Athenian democracy was in the 450s BCE when a range of radical reforms brought in greater democratic practice (Raaflaub, 1998, 31-66). However, the actions of Kleisthenes in setting up a Boule or Council of 500 men chosen annually by lot from the entire citizen body to act as a steering committee for the Assembly (ekklesia) in 508/7 BCE was chosen to be the occasion when democracy was established in Athens. Citizenship was changed to be based on residence in one of Attica’s newly created demes or wards, rather than kinship. Demes were small village communities of Attica and these in turn made up ten newly created tribes from which the Boule would be chosen. Citizens now had their own name and a deme name, as well as a family name, and the deme was the focus of political activity and loyalty. These measures were celebrated as defining moments when ancient Athens became a democracy.
Museum exhibitions are an important area where different scholarly disciplines and a more mainstream audience intersect. Two significant exhibitions marked the anniversary of democratic reforms in Athens. The Greek Miracle. Classical Sculpture from the Dawn of Democracy. The Fifth Century BC exhibition was held at National Gallery of America in Washington DC and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York in 1992 to 1993. The Birth of Democracy: An Exhibition Celebrating the 2500th Anniversary of Democracy was held at the Gennadius Library in Athens and the National Archives, Washington DC in 1993. This consultancy project looks at the reception of ancient Athens and democracy in these exhibitions in The Art Blockbuster and Archaeology and Text, and examines the issues that were raised for scholars and museum professionals. A very brief summary of the scholarly, museum and political background to the exhibitions in 2,500 Years: The Background sets them in some context, as well as setting out some questions that could be used as a point of reference for future research on the reception of Athenian democracy. A similarly brief section follows it on the possible impact of the exhibitions and the celebration of the anniversary in 2,500 Years and More: The Impact.
Links to the sections are below:
The Art Blockbuster: The Greek Miracle. Classical Sculpture from the Dawn of Democracy. The Fifth Century BC
The Lenders and the Objects: What was displayed, from where, and why certain ‘key’ objects chosen.
Curation and Interpretation: Who Curated, Location, History heroes
The Catalogue: Writers and Politicians
Marketing and Sponsorship: Who paid for it?
Critical Reaction: Partisan Poltics and, Ethno Nationalism in 1992/93 (plus the bibliography)
Archaeology and Text: The Birth of Democracy: An Exhibition Celebrating the 2500th Anniversary of Democracy
The Lenders and the Objects: What was displayed, from where, and why certain ‘key’ objects chosen.
Curation and Interpretation: Who Curated, Location, History heroes
Marketing and Sponsorship: Who paid for it?
Critical Reaction and bibliography.
Exhibiting Democracy: Critical Conclusions
2,500 Years: The Background
Ancient texts, authors and documentary evidence
Modern Readings of Athenian History and Art
The Blockbuster Exhibition and A Precursor ‘Show’
The End of History?
2,500 Years and More: The Impact
Museum Institutions and Refurbishment
Restitution and Retention Debate
Olympics in Athens, 2004
Democracy Debated (Again)
