When I go to mueseums, I typically browse for an hour or two, briefly read the some of the descriptions and think about how cool it is that they managed to find all of these artifacts or paintings from so long ago and provide hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to see it.

But I never thought about how they came in the mueseum’s possession or if it is acceptable for them to even have or display these items. After learning about the ethics and colonization surounding museums, I came to realize how much of these collections shouldn’t belong in them as a multitude of these artifacts are stolen or simply have no reason to be displayed as it serves no substantial purpose.

To further my understanding of items museums should or should not display in terms of ethics and morality, was through the exhibit I decided to focus on for this project in the Smithsonian: External Life in Ancient Egypt. I was atonished to see that they were displaying real life mummies from this time period. The little signs next to these bodies say things like “This is a real life mummy!” and that this body was a man 2,000 years ago…etc.I think it is safe to say that anyone who comes across exhibits like these may feel at least a little disturbed. Not only from the fact that a dead body is being displayed like a painting, but the fact that people decided to dig this body up and profit off of it.

As I delved into the other parts of the exhibit, I noticed I became more consciously aware of the unethics surrouning the display of these artificacts. Especially since the artifacts shown are so sacred to the ancient egyptian culture and were meant to stay concealed and secretive. For example the display of the artifacts that were found inside tombs. The ancient egyptians strongly believed in the afterlife, so there was a very ritualistic apprach to burying bodies, especially ones of higher power. These items were buried with the body so they could use them in the afterlife.

A certain section of the exhibit that I found to be particularly interesting was the one that displayed an empty tomb. It is a very beautiful artifact to look at because of all of the intricate carvings. The sign names this section as “The Story in the Coffin”, so all of the carvings, and symbols all over the tomb tell a story from the events of that time period. This raises the question of whether or not the egyptians may have intended for people in the future to see these relics so they can keep these stories alive. And is it okay for museums to be displaying these artificats even though they were excavated?

The concept of tombs originated in ancient Mesopotamia dating all the way from the early dynastic period and was known as The Great Death Pit. This was where servants of royalty would be buried with them so they can still serve them in the afterlife. This same idea of afterlife was a pretty universal concept amongst different cultures other than Egypt, like Rome and Israel. The most intricate tombs were the ones made for Pharaoahs in Ancient egypt. Egyptians would build these structures called Mastabas which were tombs made out of dried clay bricks and each of them contained a room where spiritual ceremonies were held for the dead. furhter emphasizing how much they value the afterlife and the elaborate processes associated with these burials.

Tombs have always been viewed as homes of the dead and considered their final resting place. Because this was such a valued ideology amongst a multitude of cultures and especially in egyptian culture, museums disturbing these artifcacts and taking them from their orignal home has a much greater impact on the group that it’s being taken from, as opposed to the people who breifly see it in an exhibit for 5 minutes.

I really liked being a part of this project as I feel I learned a lot more about museums and the colonization and unethics surrounding it. It further gave me the opportunity to learn more about Ancient Egypt, and widened my perspective on consumerism and material culture.

For this first scrolling experiment, I decided on looking for a new cleanser to purchase since the one I am currently using has been drying my skin. I didn’t have a specific one in mind, so I just looked up “face cleanser” in the google search engine. What immediately popped up was a sponsored site/company called Curology, which is skincare you can get customized to your specific skin type. However, since this required me getting a subscription, I scrolled past because my goal was not to spend too much money.

As I continued to scroll I came across the people also search for box, which contained more specific searches like: “face cleanser machine”, “face cleanser for acne”…etc. This then led me to change and specify my original search to “best face cleansers for combination skin”, since it wold lead me more to what I am looking for. However more sponsored sites popped up so I decided to click on the shopping tab. What really stood out to me when doing this was seeing all of the ratings under each product and being able to choose specific price ranges to be able to find an affordable and good quality cleanser. This is a much quicker and efficient process than trying to find an item shopping in person. You would typically need to ask someone who works at the store their opinion on the product or if they have any cheaper versions which could ultimately lead to not the most truthful response. So, after narrowing the prices down I decided on purcahsing the Cetaphil facial cleanser for $14 with 4.4 star ratings. Based on the 41,560 reviews, it says that it doesn’t dry skin out which was exaclty what I was lookng for.

When starting the browsing experiment, I decided to go to my favorite store in town, Dancing Hands this Wednesday since I had no classes that day. Everytime I have gone to this store, I never have a specific thing I want to purchase as all of the items are so individual and unique. So, going into the store with the mindset of not buying anything and just looking made me feel an appreciation for the items more and gave me the opportunity to really explore. Even though this is considered a jewelry store, they sold some other things like crystals. My roomates and I purchased a cute crystal tree from there that’s currently sitting on our windowsill.

As I continued walking around, I noticed how there was always something new to look at; whether it be necklace charms, different ring designs, earrings, bracelets, etc. I found myself throughly enjoying this experience. It felt more rewarding than actually purchasing an item. It kind of felt like I was viewing the objects in this quaint shop as pieces in a museum.

Overall, I felt that the second experiment was a much more rewarding and engaging process. While online shopping can be more convenient in terms of finding a specific item you need or would like to purchase, I think that it is also very important to utlize some of your free time to browse around in stores even if you don’t buy anything. You gain a stronger connection to the objects this way and a sense of pleasure just exposing yourself to new things. So, I do agree with Guriel’s view on the importance of browsing because constantly scrolling online creates a disconnect with the real world and separates yourself from having meaningful connections with objects and their stories.

The object I have chosen for this assignment was a shawl inherited by my grandmother after my great grandmother passed away. 

This shawl was an engagement present gifted to my great grandmother, Maria Socorro from my great grandfather, Jose Angel Riera after getting married March 1st, 1947. He purchased this shawl on their honeymoon trip to “Santiago de Cuba” where Maria met his family. 

The shawl itself measures 64” by 64” and is very lightweight. While the fabric itself looks to be soft, it is the opposite. It is rough to the touch, similar to the feeling of wool. The embroidery throughout the shawl is very finely done, indicating that it was made by a machine (according to my grandmother). The colorful pattern on the fabric seems to consist of flowers-some of which are bigger in size and grouped in 4 groups of four spread out evenly in a square like shape- and birds, both difficult to distinguish what type. However, the three tails on the bird design, may indicate that it could possibly have been made to depict a phoenix.

After briefly gaining insight on how this shawl came into my grandmothers possesion, I wanted to delve deeper into the events that led up to and occurred during the ownership of this object. I decided to tackle this research by first asking my grandmother the story, as best she knew, of how my great grandparents met:

In 1945, Maria used to work in the Bronx location of Woolworth, which was a five-and-dime retail company that closed in July 1997. She worked behind the coffee counter which sold coffee and sandwiches so customers could eat while shopping. My great grandfather Jose, would always come in and order food, hoping she would be his server. However, with her being only 25 years old at the time and him being 20 years older, she thought of him as an old man and paid him no mind.

My great grandmother lived alone as a boarder, which meant that she paid a woman for room and food accomodations in their household. One day, Maria realized that she was out of sheets, so the lady she was boarding with mentioned she knew a man that was able to sell them to her. So, she agreed to meet with this man to purchase some sheets. Low and behold, this man was my great grandfather and the second he saw her he says, “Look at what destiny has put before me”. From this point, Jose started courting her until they got married in 1947.

Maria has always had an affinity for shawls, scarves or anything that she could wrap around her arms or neck. It was her favorite way to accessorize. My grandma told me she wouldn’t leave the house without one or the other; and she would always make sure to match the color or pattern of it with her outfit. She said that whenever my great grandfather would go out with her he would always say how much he loves how her outfits match her colorful personality.

On their honeymoon trip to Santiago, Cuba, my grandma told me how Jose had planned on getting her something really special. So one day on their trip, my great grandfather snuck away for a bit, in search of a gift for his wife. He came across a busy marketplace with stands of fruit, jewelry, shoes, pots, and then found a stand with shawls and scarves with such elaborate and vibrant patterns. That’s when he knew he needed to get something for my great grandmother here. He picked the one you see in the pictures above because of the black background representing Marias “reserved and tough exterior” and the colorful flowers and birds representing her “inner joy and beauty”. After being gifted this gorgeous piece she rarely took it off, she said it went with everything she wore, so why should she?

Despite my grandmothers collection of family heirlooms and abundance of old pictures, she sadly did not have any photos of my great grandmother wearing this beautiful shawl. But my grandma continues the life of this object as she wears it whenever we have a special occasion to attend. She doesn’t want to wear it too much becuase she wants to keep it in very good condition. However I am very appreciative to have been able to learn more about my great grandparents story and the significant objects in their relationship. I find it so heartwarming how much my grandmother cares for all of her things and tries to collect and keep as much as she can from her past. It further gives me access to unlock things I didnt know about my family’s history and keep these memories alive.

Riera, Pilar. Telephone Interview. 2023

The item I have chosen to describe is a decorative iridescent rose, also known as a “galaxy rose” that my best friend gifted me for my 18th birthday in September.

This item’s height is just 0.5” short of being 10”  tall. When holding the object, the bottom of what appears to be the stem is angled downwards and 0.5” from this, “24K” is inscribed vertically measuring 0.5” as well. 

At around 4.5” from the bottom of what looks to be the stem (seeming to be made from thick plastic dipped in gold paint) is a protruding piece of the thin gold plastic. It measures almost an inch long and is angled upwards on the left side of the stem (based on the photograph) with 5 indentations equal spaces apart close to the tip. Attached to this extension is what appears to be one of the leaves of the stem, which seems to be made out of a very reflective and iridescent thin plastic. It is flimsy to the touch but bounces back to its original designed shape making it a firmer material than say a plastic bag. Measuring at around 1.75” long, this leaf-like plastic has many indentations with a curvy border, making it bumpy to the touch and mimicking the look of veins on leaves. Around 1.5” from this point there is another protruding piece with the iridescent plastic “leaf” attached to it, however now it is attached to the back of the stick where in between these two leaves is a small bend in the stem leaning towards the right. Moving up 0.75” is the third and final protruding piece of gold-dipped plastic with the leaf structure. The look and texture is identical to the other two however this one is attached to the front of the stick slightly tilted to the left. 

As we move about 4” up the “stem”, we reach the top end of the item where the stem extends outward forming a zig-zag type base or holder for what appears to be the rose. The material used to create this rose-like structure seems to be the same as the one the “leaves” were made out of based on the texture and iridescent look to them. The first pieces attached to the base are 4 rounded triangular shapes to mimic the sepal of the rose. Then, like a rose, these petal shaped pieces are slightly bent outward and have a slight wrinkle to them and are layered on top of each other, getting closer and closer as they reach the center. 

While this rose has a cheap feel to it, the iridescence of it is what truly makes this a very beautiful object that is nice to look at. Being propped up next to a window with the sunlight hitting it makes it look as if it is glowing or sparkling. This object holds a lot of significance as it not only represents one of my closest friend’s thoughtfulness but also holds a lot of beauty.