‘An analogy exists between political policy and life as it is lived, and the simplification of meaning when objects are removed from their contexts of use.’
Exploring ideas of boundary, threshold, and shared space ‘More Than One (Fragile) Thing‘ is a unique public space that connects the precious artefacts of the V&A Collection with their former homes and, in so doing, brings people, object and place closer together.
Part of the V&A’s exhibition ‘All of This Belongs to You’ – which examined the role of public institutions in contemporary life in the run up to the general election in May 2015 – muf’s ‘More Than One (Fragile) Thing at a Time’ took place in the Medieval and Renaissance galleries over 4 months and explored the possibility of inhabiting the museum as a public space.
The sculptures, fountains and figures that inhabit the space are removed from the places they used to inhabit. They have been protected from the vagaries of weather, conflict and the everyday. Alongside each object from the collection muf exhibited contemporary objects from their previous homes. These ‘after-files’ drew a direct connection between the past and present of their objects, and illuminated the tension between history and memory in a process of ‘reverse restitution’.
The exhibition was a product of collaboration between muf, the V&A, Women For Refugee Women, Villa Bracci, and Arciconfraternita di San Cristoforo e della Misericordia
Follow this link for a guided tour of the gallery: https://vimeo.com/128362111