‘Rekindle’ Interactive Museum Object Stories

interactive video works by Kuljit S Chuhan (aka ‘Kooj’)
a re-kindling of globally diverse historical objects through imaginative and informed oral response and testimony
5 touch-screens on permanent display at the Manchester Museum’s ‘Living Cultures’ gallery

The “Rekindle” project, produced and directed by digital media and video artist Kuljit ‘Kooj’ Chuhan who used his video and digital skills to literally ‘Rekindle’ Interactive Museum Object Stories.  5 small touch-screens with sound, around which has been developed the idea of allowing a diverse range of people to present their response to and interpretation of specific objects within the gallery.  Each person was allowed to choose their own object but was not given any information about the object unless they specifically requested it.  The work uses dramatic metaphor, both within the video texture (using old-film flicker and grain which dissolves into modern technological rendering) and via the personalised dialogue with objects as if they are people.

Commissioned and produced 2003 in collaboration with Dr Bernadette Lynch, the Manchester Museum Community Advisory Panel, and Southern Voices.

showing in the “Living Cultures” gallery (permanent display) at:

The Manchester Museum,
The University of Manchester,  Oxford Road,
Manchester  M13 9PL,   UK.

Opening Hours  Monday – Saturday 10 – 5 ; Sundays and Bank Holidays 11 – 4 .
telephone  +44 (0)161 275 2634

 

Some background:

The preparation for these works used a prompt sheet for each participant to assist in their imaginative engagement with the objects.  The format for this is reproduced below.

PROMPT SHEET:

The following is a list of questions to help prompt the sorts of responses which will be particularly useful for the production. Please use the spaces here to make notes in.

1. What is the main thing about the object that aroused your interest?
2. What might you imagine or suggest for the object’s purpose?
3. How might this relate to similar roles and functions in your experience or observation?
4. If the object was a PERSON, what kind of characteristics would that person have? (eg. Harsh, kind, soft, dominant, cold, warm, angry, jealous, quick, sharp, proud, etc.)
5. Can you imagine or suggest a scene or situation in which that person might typically find themselves in?
6. Imagine you are meeting this person. What would you want to or need to say to them? In particular, what question would you ask of it?       What advice would you give it?       And what discussion would you want to have with it? Please write these down in some length and detail (as you feel appropriate) over the page.