IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, SAVE ME FIRST

Collections Corner | Carly Hall

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In my spare time, I have been re-watching season 9 of The Walking Dead. It’s the only television show I will make a conscious effort to follow. I love the social and psychological elements of the show; how can you restore your faith in humanity and rebuild civilization when the world is burning?

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If you’ve been keeping up with the show, you know that in season 9, episode 1, our friends from Alexandria, The Kingdom, and Hilltop made a trip to a museum to gather supplies, including and historic agricultural tools. We are also introduced to Luke in season 9, who is the first individual to argue for the importance of the arts in a post-apocalyptic world (Luke had also been carting around a small collection of musical instruments). You may have also let out a little whimper when Michonne destroyed a Stradivarius violin (thought to be one of the most beautiful and sweetest sounding violins in the world).

When the only thing worth thinking about is survival, do history and the arts really matter? I’m inclined to say no. If I had to choose between escaping a zombie hoard or saving Van Gogh's Starry Night, I would opt for escape without hesitation. While the perils of The Walking Dead are mostly unrealistic, the museum scene and Luke’s speech on the societal importance of the arts raise an important question: in case of emergencies, what objects do we save and why?

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Many museums will have their own policies on what to do in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. Obviously, the rule of thumb is to save yourself and colleagues – no object is worth a human life. Collections managers may have a list of prioritized objects to save in dire situations, though choosing which objects are worth saving seems close to impossible. Some professionals may choose to prioritize saving the written ledger of acquired objects. This is a practical choice; ledgers are usually smaller and lighter compared to sculptures or fossils, and are a form of museum history.

But what about saving art and objects? We have ascribed value to scores of objects, so how do museum professionals choose what objects need to survive and what objects we can live without? Would you save newer pieces and leave older ones? Some policies may prioritize objects according to rarity and importance to the collection, or whether an object is on loan from another institution. Some institutions may determine an object’s or artwork’s priority based on its current physical state, sustainability, and longevity.

Ultimately, we follow the policies set forth by our institution. I would be lying, however, if I said that I would not be torn over choosing one object over the other. The items in our collections shape who we were, who we are, and who we might become. On the bright side, they are also inextricably tied to our intangible culture – and maybe that is enough. So long as we pass down our stories and histories, those objects we lose to catastrophes or time will never actually be lost.