Museumification of Places of Memory in Iberoamerica

Abstract

In terms of a strict museological point of view, museumification is a complex process involving the transformation of cultural and natural heritage into museum objects with the aim of maximizing their preservation, revealing their historical, cultural, scientific, artistic value, and for their promotion. Since the 1990s, the concept of “memorial culture” has been established in scientific and journalistic discourses, and new museum institutions have begun to open — museums of memory, which, unlike classical historical museums, interpretate a difficult past, focusing on victims. Undoubtedly, the focus of memorial culture is also on Iberoamerican issues, in particular the memory of the Spanish Civil War, and of the countries of the Southern Cone — Argentina, Uruguay, Chile — there was an increase in attention to commemorative practices, which was caused by the end of the period of rule of authoritarian regimes, the cessation of some armed conflicts or the achievement of a state by society when it needed in reflection on the protracted painful and bloody processes. The problems of generational change in the commemoration are connected with a double generational change: firstly, a short historical era of living witnesses of the tragic events of the mid-20th century. firstly, a generation of direct witnesses of the events to which memory projects are dedicated will inevitably leave soon, and, secondly, generations who do not have their own memories of the relevant events have reached working age. events and personalities. The attitude to death and human sacrifice in memorial culture is connected with the recognition of places of memory. The museumification of the Spanish Civil War is considered on the example of the Federico Garcia Lorca Foundation and Center, the Cuelgamuros Valley (formerly the “Valley of the Fallen”) and the commemorations of the bombing of Guernica. Among the museum initiatives and commemorative institutions in the countries of the Southern Cone, the Naval Mechanics School (ESMA) in Buenos Aires, the Museum of Memory (MUME) in Montevideo, the Villa Grimaldi Memorial Park in Santiago are considered. The analysis of commemorative initiatives in Iberoamerica has shown the success of tangible, intangible and combined projects in the field of memory, assessed by how effective they are in terms of creating affect, mobilizing society and updating the relevant narrative.