Heritage of Coal
HERITAGE OF COAL
History is complicated whereas heritage is often presented to form simple characterisations of the past. To attract visitors, heritage centres have been designed to be accessible, exciting and authentic. Many of the objects and photographs displayed lose their autonomy, their detail being polarised in the interest of interpretation. Such presentations are absorbed into the imagination until these particular characterisations of history both activate and reformat memory. Arguably visitors from outside the former mining communities, who may have only ever had a media experience of that industry, will be at ease with this.
Looking at imagery can be easy; however, understanding its significance and interpreting meaning from it is not. We live in a sound bite, vision bite society that seeks stimulation and excitement from each new experience. The balance between entertainment and education is a fraught one. In the case of the heritage centres located in and around the Valleys there is potential for visitors to not look beyond the surface patina of the displays.
History is complicated whereas heritage is often presented to form simple characterisations of the past. To attract visitors, heritage centres have been designed to be accessible, exciting and authentic. Many of the objects and photographs displayed lose their autonomy, their detail being polarised in the interest of interpretation. Such presentations are absorbed into the imagination until these particular characterisations of history both activate and reformat memory. Arguably visitors from outside the former mining communities, who may have only ever had a media experience of that industry, will be at ease with this.
Looking at imagery can be easy; however, understanding its significance and interpreting meaning from it is not. We live in a sound bite, vision bite society that seeks stimulation and excitement from each new experience. The balance between entertainment and education is a fraught one. In the case of the heritage centres located in and around the Valleys there is potential for visitors to not look beyond the surface patina of the displays.
