Ancient History, Contemporary Belonging: a creative exploration of forced migration of ancient historical objects with refugee-background young people

This project develops an innovative new approach-participatory arts-based object biography-to address (mis)understandings of the forced migration of people and ancient objects to the UK. Combining archival research on objects from their regions of origin, and the production of PAB object biographies that draw on their own experiences of forced migration, youth CSs from refugee backgrounds will utilise affective, embodied and sensuous modes of knowledge production to generate and share new perspectives on UK museum collections.
As a direct consequence of colonial occupation, ancient historical objects from Africa and Asia fill UK museums, but the specifics of how they entered collections is often poorly recorded. These objects are typically presented as static representations of past civilisations, interpreted almost exclusively by white, western scholars. This situation obscures the complex nature of their biographies, which tell important stories about transnational histories of migration and empire. Conversely, refugee-background young people in the UK are defined by their movement, their refugee backgrounds impeding their political, social, economic and cultural inclusion. The circumstances leading to their forced migration are positioned beyond the UK, denying the legacies of empire and contemporary neo-colonialism. Both these young people and ancient historical objects are in need of new narratives. This project will place them in dialogue, within transnational histories of (neo)colonial entanglement, to produce unique insights into the forced migration of each.
Object biography recognises that objects change in meaning and value throughout their history, based on their production, use, the nature of their exchange and movement, and the peoples and events with which they interact. The production of PAB object biographies will enable CSs to: examine the objects' original uses; the journeys that led to removal from their original settings; and their transportation and display in the UK. PAB object biographies privilege embodied, sensuous, and affective forms of understanding and expression, facilitating the integration of CSs' ideas and experiences with their archival research to amplify voices largely precluded from influencing the accepted narratives of these objects. The result will be to challenge conventional text-based accounts and encourage new ways of seeing and feeling.
The project comprises five work packages: preparation; the PAB process; imaging and 3D printing of objects; exhibition; promotion and dissemination. A steering committee including project partners and CSs will guide the process. Manchester Museum's collection includes artefacts from regions that overlap with the countries of many of the UK's contemporary forced migrants (Africa, the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia). CSs will select objects of interest and work with the museum archives, curators, specialists, and us to research their history. Imaging and 3D printing of the objects will create replicas that can be manipulated and explored in ways that the originals cannot. In a process co-designed and facilitated with BAME/refugee-background artists from Sheba Arts with experience in creatively engaging with forced migration, the CSs will use their chosen art form to explore how their own ideas and experiences intersect with the archival research on the artefacts. The resulting PAB object biographies will communicate the complexities of forced migration and transnational history. These artworks will form the basis of an exhibition at the Museum and online, with the original objects. Along with other academic and public outputs, the exhibition will engage diverse audiences in critical reflection and affective understanding of the forced migration of people and objects in transnational context, contributing to the decolonisation of ancient history and heritage and encouraging future PAB citizen science history and heritage initiatives.

Recent UK Black Lives Matter activism has focused attention on the legacies of the colonial past in contemporary politics of national belonging. A core aspect is the forced migration of people and objects, from the ancient world up to the present. The resulting histories are frequently narrated through colonial discourses that reify differences while silencing diverse perspectives. Building on the prior work of investigators, partners, and refugee-background young people, this project addresses this challenge by placing authorial control in the hands of CSs whose intersectional marginality as young people and forced migrants has traditionally excluded them from contributing to ancient history and museology, but whose ethnic backgrounds and refugee experiences provide unique insights into the biographies of the objects being researched.
Manchester Museum's holdings include objects from Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and western Asia, aligning with the origins of many refugee-background young people (e.g. Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria). CSs will be recruited through refugee, youth, and ethnic organisations in Manchester, utilising existing relationships of CI Nunn and Sheba Arts (e.g. The Children's Society and RAPAR). Past collaborations with these organisations and young people have demonstrated their investment in research and creative projects oriented to social change. The CSs will be involved in steering the project, archival research, creating object biographies, mounting the exhibition, and events and outputs.
This project is founded on CSs' involvement. Their ideas and experiences are critical to producing new understandings of historical artefacts and challenging entrenched western, imperial narratives. Through this process, they will develop skills in research, arts and leadership (recognised through AQA qualifications), connect with cultural and educational institutions, and contribute to a broader sense of belonging for refugee-background young people.