Day 5 of the ITP…(‘Pinky’ Htet Mto Htut Aung, Myanmar, ITP 2024)

Written by ‘Pinky’ Htet Myo Htut Aung, Museum Coordinator, U Thant House (Myanmar, ITP 2024)

It’s day 5 of ITP, and as usual, I forced myself out of bed, rushing to get to the British Museum for some quiet exploration before the public arrives. My name is Pinky Htet Myo Htut Aung and I work with U Thant House from Myanmar. This is a childhood dream come true, and at times, it feels surreal walking around the galleries. Today, we have actual gallery time to ponder the various types of collections. By now I can easily find my way to my favorite galleries, but I always start at the Egyptian galleries and stop at one of the most crowded places during opening hours, Egyptian Life and Death, to see the coffins and mummies.

I couldn’t help but notice that the absence of the public didn’t enhance the experience of seeing this section as I had expected. Maybe it’s due to the display, or perhaps the natural light above interferes with the mystique of these coffins. To make this experience more exciting and to activate the space, I decided to put on my headphones, play an ambient song, and start to reimagine, in my own way, the museum, its collection, its display, and the narration of the stories around the objects. My thoughts went down a rabbit hole from there.

Without realizing it, I had already made my way to the Asia Gallery without getting lost this time. Like the majority of visitors, I am fully aware of the ongoing debates on the origins and repatriations of some of the objects. As someone who was born and raised in Myanmar, once under British rule, I am interested in the subject of decolonizing history and have become even more involved since moving to Europe. I stood in contemplation in front of my object of focus, the Gold Ring of Tipu Sultan. We had our first workshop the day before with my amazing teammates Shubhasree and Xu Zecheng, mentored by Imma from the Department of Asia.

This assignment opens a great opportunity to challenge the issue of Eurocentric narratives around the objects, to acknowledge historical injustices, and to ensure the histories are accurately and respectfully represented. It is sensitive work and may be uncomfortable for the museum, but it’s better to tackle it than remain silent. I am confident that my ITP fellow friends will bring in more inclusive narratives, stories, and perspectives.

After collecting my thoughts, I made my way to join my friends for yet another insightful day exploring the history and archive of the British Museum, Portable Antiquities and Treasures, and most importantly, collection documentation. Many of my ITP friends find documentation tedious, but for an introvert like me, it is can be quite satisfying. It’s strange to also remember that as a child, I adopted the habit of documenting important things such as my father’s music collections and my own Barbies. I think I was motivated by not wanting them to go missing, and it was a good practice to remember the items and where they were stored.

I will stop writing here as I need to sketch the ‘object of the day,’ my little personal project during the ITP to choose and sketch an object every two days. Lastly, I need to rest early for our first day trip. I am thrilled, and I am sure my friend Shubhasree from the Museum of Art and Photography (India), with whom I love discussing ancient histories and myths, will have a great time blogging about it!