World-renowned exhibit designer Tom Hennes says he was let go without reason
A battle is playing out behind the scenes over how the history of indigenous peoples will be presented at the new home of the Royal Alberta Museum, now under construction in downtown Edmonton.
The chiefs of Treaty 6, whose traditional lands include Edmonton, are frustrated they haven’t been part of the consultation process earlier.
Exhibition designer Tom Hennes believes he was dropped from the project because he wanted those chiefs included.
But the New York-based designer doesn’t know that for sure, because he says he was never given a reason why he was dropped, so he has filed a freedom of information request to find out.
“I feel I have an obligation to the people we worked with here,” he said. “The museum does not belong to the people who run the museum. The museum belongs to the public.”
When the Royal Alberta Museum hired Hennes, they acquired the services of the lead designer for the 9/11 Museum that recently opened in New York City .
For his part, Hennes said he was looking forward to working with the Canadian museum.
“There are magnificent stories to tell here,” he said. “Stories of the landscape, stories of people.”
A sense of friction
To ensure that history was told accurately, the museum assembled a panel of 24 aboriginal people to consult with Hennes and his team at Thinc Design.
more
Royal Alberta Museum in dispute over aboriginal consultations - Edmonton - CBC News
A battle is playing out behind the scenes over how the history of indigenous peoples will be presented at the new home of the Royal Alberta Museum, now under construction in downtown Edmonton.
The chiefs of Treaty 6, whose traditional lands include Edmonton, are frustrated they haven’t been part of the consultation process earlier.
Exhibition designer Tom Hennes believes he was dropped from the project because he wanted those chiefs included.
But the New York-based designer doesn’t know that for sure, because he says he was never given a reason why he was dropped, so he has filed a freedom of information request to find out.
“I feel I have an obligation to the people we worked with here,” he said. “The museum does not belong to the people who run the museum. The museum belongs to the public.”
When the Royal Alberta Museum hired Hennes, they acquired the services of the lead designer for the 9/11 Museum that recently opened in New York City .
For his part, Hennes said he was looking forward to working with the Canadian museum.
“There are magnificent stories to tell here,” he said. “Stories of the landscape, stories of people.”
A sense of friction
To ensure that history was told accurately, the museum assembled a panel of 24 aboriginal people to consult with Hennes and his team at Thinc Design.
more
Royal Alberta Museum in dispute over aboriginal consultations - Edmonton - CBC News
