Exhibition „Travelers“

The exhibition Trevelers presents the Collection of Non-European Cultures of the Ethnographic Museum, following the journeys of people and objects from colonial times to the present day.

The origins of the Collection date back to the mid-19th century, when the National Museum in Zagreb was founded during the Croatian National Revival. At that time, many museums in Europe were established to define national identities. Objects from Croatian material and intangible culture were meant to testify to its rich cultural heritage, while items from non-European cultures were used to position Croatia alongside the great European colonial powers. Croatia held a dual position in global processes. While the West viewed Croatia as an exotic “Other,” the local people, adopting colonial cultural stereotypes, regarded non-European peoples and their cultures similarly

In the introductory section of the exhibition, we highlight the connection between colonialism, the creation of national museums, collections of non-European artifacts, and the beginnings of ethnology and cultural anthropology as fields of academic study. The relationship between museums and colonialism has long been a central theme in museums worldwide, so we address some of the approaches to exhibiting and engaging with colonial heritage. While the older part of the Collection can be directly linked to colonialism, items collected in the second half of the 20th century should be viewed within the context of Yugoslav anti-colonial policy and the Non-Aligned Movement. By emphasizing specific donors, we aim to shed light on the historical contexts in which they operated and created their collections, which opens many topics for discussion during the exhibition.

As a counterpoint to the explorations of non-European cultures, we present contemporary ethnographic research of the scholarly project ERIM – The European Irregularized Migration Regime at the Periphery of the EU (2020-2024).

In working on the Collection, we have become aware of the necessity of involving individuals, communities, associations, and institutions from the originating countries of the objects. The prerequisites for cooperation are transparency and accessibility of the Collection, which have been a focus of intensive efforts in recent years.

With this exhibition, we aim to encourage a broader discussion about the ways of interpreting and exhibiting the Collection, its social relevance, and its future.

Exhibition author:
Marija Živković

Exhibition Collaborator and author of the introductory topics and of “Non-Aligned”:
Aida Brenko, PhD

Art display:
Studio Hrvatin

Author of “The Global Journey of Things”:
Mareta Kurtin

Authors of “Epilogue: The Unwanted”:
Marijana Hameršak, PhD, Bojan Mucko, PhD, Mojca Piškor, PhD, and Iva Pleše, PhD

Proofreading:
Božena Bunčić

English translation:
Juraj Šutej

Educational programs:
Željka Jelavić, PhD, Anastazija Petrović, and Silvia Vrsalović

Marketing and public relations:
Ivana Lušić

Preventive conservation of material and exhibition setup:
Mihaela Grčević, Kristina Matković, and Ivana Prodan

Exhibition setup:
Davor Filipčić, Mislav Šemeš, Darijen Paša, Ljiljana Vilus Japec, Adrijana Gašparić, and Marijana Njjar

Animated movie about Dragutin Lerman

Screenwriter and director:
Damjan Roce

Animation:
Zanimacije

Sound:
Surogat

Voiced by:
Ivana Bolanča, Ivan Simon, and Sven Šestak

The exhibition was made possible by the City of Zagreb, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Tourist Board