Missing Objects and Affective Fragments

Reparative Curating of Queer Heritage

Abstract

In this article, I explore how queer heritage can be created in museums through fragments. I apply the concept of reparative curating to demonstrate how fragmented heritage can be ‘patched up’ and mapped through affective means. I examine this in the context of an exhibition at the Helsinki City Museum called M/S Baltic Queers – Experiences of LGBTQAI+ Migration. Through interviews, observation, and by using the exhibition as research material, I analyze how affective strategies can be employed to produce an exhibition centred on the cultural heritage of a marginalized group, and how this approach can be reparative. There is a pressing need for history among queer individuals, yet the material available is often fragmented due to systemic oppression, which means that more creative means are often necessary when constructing exhibitions. The everyday objects, clarity of queerness, and affective modes of engagement featured in the exhibition contribute to its reparative nature. By exhibiting fragments alongside stories and narratives, it becomes possible to create a fully rounded presentation of a phenomenon that has not been widely discussed before.