“往昔在场”:纽约城市记忆的展示与建构

The Presence of the Past:Exhibiting and Constructing Urban Memories of New York City

遗产与记忆是往昔在场的不同形式,它们拥有相似的工作机制与目标功能—为应对当下而对过去进行加工。文章引入记忆研究方法,从“物质性”、叙述性与身体性3个方面分析遗产展示设计的记忆媒介与建构手段,以此解读被展示之“物”如何与访客发生互动,共同成为记忆建构网络的行动者。纽约是文化多样性的典型代表,其多元的城市记忆在历史建筑、工业遗产、公共空间、公寓住宅与博物馆等城市遗产展示之中得以建构,其中高线公园、廉租公寓博物馆和纽约市博物馆3个案例由不同的管理模式展示大历史、小历史与社区记忆,形成差异化的记忆展示与建构方式。文章通过纽约城市遗产的记忆展示来解析情感体验与话语政治在记忆建构之中的交互作用,探讨遗产在文化认同塑造与城市精神表达方面应担负的社会责任。

Heritage and memory represent different forms of the presence of the past,sharing similar working mechanisms and target functions-they process the past in response to the present.This paper introduces the method of memory studies to examine the mechanisms of memory construction within heritage display design from the aspects of“materiality”,narrativity,and embodiment.It seeks to interpret how displayed objects interact with visitors,thus becoming the actants in the memory construction network.New York is a city of cultural diversity,and its diversified urban memories are constructed through the display of various urban heritages,such as historical buildings,industrial heritage,public space,apartment houses and museums,etc.Among them,the three case studies,namely the High Line,the Tenement Museum and the Museum of the City of New York,illustrate how different management modes present macro-history,microhistory,and community memories,establishing distinctive approaches to exhibiting and constructing memory.By analyzing the memory display of urban heritage in New York City,this paper reveals the interplay of affective experiences and discourse politics in memory construction and discusses the social responsibilities of urban heritage should undertake in shaping cultural identity and expressing the city’s spirit.