The following work has been produced within the framework of an independent studio in the Spring of 2022. At the start of this semester, I didn't have any answers for what I would be making or what I would be designing; I just knew what the "problems" were but not the "solutions." Many of the physical problems I point out in my writing are the critique of specific museum exhibits that I've seen. I have interpreted museums to be a more tangible manifestation of many of the discursive issues that I layout in the book. Similarly, in my critique of the exhibits, while I do not know what a "good" or successful museum is, I know what components go into making an unsuccessful one. This is not intended to be a solution, but more of a catalog of what not to do that may lead to an idea of what to do.
The general premise of the project is that Museums have evolved into non-productive modes of exhibition and more of an expensive method of archival of the physical. I aim to design a space to present these findings through text and accompanying visuals to foster curiosity, spark conversation, teach, and exhibit the work as a whole rather than in a vacuum. In tandem with this book, I have designed a workshop space to un-make the notion of the Middle East portrayed in western media and academia. By re-writing the narrative and viewing the Middle East differently, we can start to reference that architecture as valid design case studies.
This project aims to discuss the term 'Middle East,' its origins, whom it stands to benefit, and who is harmed by its consistent usage. In doing so, we can begin to remove the lens of the western gaze on how these artifacts, histories, and teachings are being portrayed and displayed.
