Contemporary Art and the Display of Ancient Egypt

Beyond the illusion of dialogue--how contemporary art in Egyptian galleries is curated and controlled. Contemporary art installations in Egyptian galleries are often framed as dialogues between past and present--but what if they are, instead, shaped by the museum itself? Contemporary Art and the Display of Ancient Egypt argues that both contemporary and ancient works are mediated through the structures and ideologies of the museum space. In this seminal work, Alice Stevenson examines how artists' work influences museum discourse and public engagement with ancient artifacts. Drawing on case studies from the British Museum, the Egyptian Museum in Turin, and the State Museum of Egyptian Art in Munich, this book assesses the motivations behind these interventions and their lasting impact. Through an evidence-based approach, Stevenson offers new insights into how curators, scholars, and artists can collaborate to create more meaningful and politically engaged museum experiences. Of particular interest to Egyptologists, museum professionals, and contemporary art scholars, this work redefines the role of artistic intervention in shaping our understanding of ancient cultures.

About the Author :
Alice Stevenson is Professor of Museum Archaeology at UCL’s Institute of Archaeology. She has previously held posts as the Curator of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and as Researcher in World Archaeology at the Pitt Rivers Museum. Her academic specialization is Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egyptian archaeology, but she has a written on a broad range of topics including the history of archaeology, anthropology and museums.

Review :
"Archaeologist Alice Stevenson provides a thoughtful consideration of the goals and intent behind contemporary art interventions in exhibitions of ancient Egyptian art. She challenges the curators, scholars and museum professionals who design these exhibitions to move beyond the simplistic ancient art/contemporary art juxtaposition, and instead use contemporary art interventions to create spaces for both artistic and academic insight and inspiration. I look forward to such dialogue!"-- "Kara Cooney, UCLA" "This is an important and innovative study on the recent history of incorporating art installations in galleries of Egyptian antiquities. Offering a thoughtful, critical analysis of the ways in which contemporary art and ancient artefacts are juxtaposed in museum settings, the book calls for a more nuanced and politically engaged practice of collaboration between artists and Egyptologists."-- "Stephanie Moser, University of Southampton"