War Museums and Photography

Abstract

The use of photographs in museums can reveal how the perceived transparency of photography and the authority of the museum interact with the subjectivity and the political construction of historical narratives. This paper focuses on the medium of photography in five war-related museums in Cyprus and examines how it is used in the context of these museums as a means to construct strong narratives by assuming the role of factual information and by appealing to emotions. More specifically, this paper explores (a) the types of photographs most common in war museums, (b) the context photography is presented in and how it influences meaning, and (c) the relationship between photography, memory and history. It is argued that photography in museums needs to be treated in a more critical and responsible way.