Open AccessDen forlengede arm – materialisering av pisker, hester og ryttere
Author(s) -
Anita Maurstad
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
nordisk museologi
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2002-0503
pISSN - 1103-8152
DOI - 10.5617/nm.3091
Subject(s) - materiality (auditing) , performative utterance , regret , perspective (graphical) , feeling , aesthetics , sociology , epistemology , psychology , social psychology , visual arts , art , computer science , philosophy , machine learning
The horsewhip is an interesting object. It works in relationships between animals and humans. In some relationships it can make the horse move forward willingly, with no need for physical contact. In other contexts, the whip can make the horse obey the rider’s wishes by gently touching the horse’s body. In other kinds of relationships, it paves the way for riders hitting their horses and also feeling regret afterwards. This article combines insights from two recent research fields – research focusing on materiality and research focusing on the relationship between animals and humans. Research in these fields challenges museum presentations of these topics. The article adopts a performative perspective regarding the whip and its relations and shows how whips, horses and riders are constituted in different practices. Finally, the museum communication of such practices is commented on. The aim is to show how a museological perspective regarding objects and materiality can contribute to the understanding of the importance of seeing objects as relational materialities, as well as to knowledge about the relationship between animals and humans.