Developing a "Museum with No Frontiers"

Experts from 15 countries met in Berlin to prepare a new project, aiming to create a virtual network made up of various museums north and south of the Mediterranean. Youssef Hijazi participated in the event.

The idea for "Discover Islamic Art" emerged out of the "Museum with no Frontiers" project. Seventeen important and pivotal museums with more than 1500 exponents as well as historical buildings from fifteen countries are to be virtually linked to form a single museum. This virtual link-up should also allow for unparalleled combinations in a real context.

"A visitor to the Hisham Palace near Jericho will be able to access the virtual museum and view exhibits that were originally housed in the palace, but today are on display in the British National Museum. Conversely, visitors to the National Museum in Britain will have the opportunity to visit the Hisham Palace," said Sa'd Nimr, the Palestinian coordinator of the project.

A critical observer may quickly raise the question as to what perspective will be chosen to present the historical facts. Will the project fail due to a conflict over an "Eastern or Western point of view?"

Differing interpretations of history

Eva Schubert, founder and president of "Museum with No Frontiers" (MWNF), is confident. "The basic aim of MWNF is to present history from a local perspective. This means that historians and archeologists from the respective country have the opportunity to present their own history to an international public. This may in fact be more difficult within the framework of the virtual museum, because not only the local point of view has to find expression, but also the viewpoints of the other museums participating in the project."

In real terms, this means that the differing points of views can confront each other head on. "Discover Islamic Art" is attempting to highlight these differences.

"When we discuss something pertaining to Portugal, Spain, and Morocco, then it is natural that we will describe the historical phenomenon from a Portuguese, Spanish, and Moroccan point of view. Of course, the emphasis will be different in all three cases. This is exactly the point of our project," said Eva Schubert.

Manifold opportunities

Similarly, the "Discover Islamic Art" virtual office can help boost the public profile of exhibit items from various museums as well as providing scholars with better access to these objects. Organizers envisage that the project will create a framework for bilateral and multilateral cooperation between scholars and museums, as well as serving as a forum to exchange research findings.

For the first time, whole museum collections can be viewed anywhere by the public. Schools, in particular, could stand to benefit.

Ulrike al-Khamis, curator at the National Museum of Scotland, says, "Museums stress the importance of cultural aspects and viewpoints with respect to works of art. A project such as this, however, offers new opportunities to expand educational and cultural horizons, which will also automatically bear social and perhaps even political repercussions."

Reassessing one's own position

The EU is sponsoring the project within the framework of its "Euromed Heritage" program. Although the initiative for the project has its roots in Europe, Eva Schubert stresses that this doesn't mean "we will dictate our point of view."

On the contrary, Europe has to make the first step in reassessing its own position and viewpoint on history. Nonetheless, the process of improving awareness has to be encouraged to take place on both sides.

Youssef Hijazi

Translation from German: John Bergeron