Redefining Cultural Narratives: A Study on Art Repatriation & Museum Power Hierarchies

The study explores the messaging of Western museums – notably the British Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and the agency these museums have on the status of contested objects in their collection. To address inequities within the museum space, Western museums have undergone the process of repatriation for specific items within their collections. While repatriation efforts are a step towards allowing non-Western actors to have a greater role in the discourse surrounding cultural heritage and identity on an international stage, the power is still in the hands of Western museums and actors. The study seeks to answer how the messaging of Western museums in repatriation cases reveals the power dynamics that exist in the museum space, one where Western museums stand to serve as the custodians of art. By analyzing museum messaging alongside an analysis of postcolonial and queer theory, it becomes evident how Western museums still engage with colonial structures to legitimize their control over non-Western actors and project paternalistic narratives onto a global stage. The incorporation of critical theory in the museum space provides a means for tackling the persistent power dynamics between Western museums and non-Western actors, as well as promoting a more inclusive museum space for all viewers through museum messaging.