ICOM Voices  ‘Objects of Memory’: an ICOM Costume and ICOM Madagascar project to promote historical heritage

Keywords: workshop, preservation, promotion, costume, Madagascar

In 2023, the ICOM Costume International Committee and the ICOM Madagascar National Committee joined forces on a project aimed at sharing expertise in historical heritage conservation and promotion with Malagasy museum professionals. In 2024, their ‘Objets de mémoire’ [Objects of Memory] project led to the organisation of a workshop in Antananarivo around several costumes conserved by local museums.

Project history

The ‘Objects of Memory’ project was funded by ICOM SAREC as part of the 2023 Call for Solidarity Projects. The project took shape following the Malagasy government’s acquisition of a dress belonging to Princess Ramasindrazana (aunt and adviser to Queen Ranavalona III, 1861-1917), which was sold at auction in London in 2020 and then returned to the royal collections of the ORMada Museum (Office of the Rova of Madagascar, ex-Queen’s Palace Museum). Given the challenges relating to the conservation of textile heritage, ICOM Madagascar wanted to seek support from professionals in the field, so the committee looked to ICOM’s networks and asked ICOM Costume to share its expertise. The aim of the project was to organise a workshop on the technical study, care and promotion of articles of clothing in Madagascar’s various collections. Organised in June 2024 in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, the workshop was placed under the high patronage of the Malagasy Ministry of Communication and Culture and the Malagasy Academy.

Project partners

Following ICOM Madagascar’s request, two committees became involved in implementing the project: the Standing Committee ICOM SAREC and the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textiles. ICOM Costume, founded in 1960 by costume historian François Boucher, now has over 500 active members from all over the world – museum professionals specialising in the care, display and conservation of historical costume, fashion and textile collections. The committee was responsible for coordinating the scientific and technical aspects of the project, as well as for preparing the project and publicising it on the ICOM website. The ICOM National Committee in Madagascar, established in 1987, was responsible for implementing the activities in Madagascar. ICOM Madagascar represents the interests of Malagasy museums and museum professionals, organising activities to protect tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The committee currently includes professionals working in 25 public and private museums in the country and is also a member of the ICOM Regional Alliance of Africa Countries. ICOM Madagascar is currently working to address challenges related to the professionalisation of the Malagasy museum sector, the preservation of collections, and the development of activities aimed at young audiences.

Workshop objectives and development

The project’s scientific committee, led by Corinne Thépaut-Cabasset (ICOM Costume) and Bako Rasoarifetra (ICOM Madagascar), examined the needs of local museums and the expectations of Malagasy cultural workers and participants and then determined three areas of study for the workshop: royal dress, liturgical clothing, and military dress and uniforms. The committee’s main objective was to connect Malagasy museums with international professionals working with ICOM Costume so they could benefit from their expertise. After a call for participation, four Malagasy museums were selected to present a costume as an object of study for the workshop: the ORMada Museum (Office of the Rova of Madagascar, ex-Queen’s Palace Museum), located in the capital, which presented a royal dress; the Andohalo Antananarivo Cathedral Museum, also located in the capital, which presented a liturgical garment; the Moramanga Gendarmerie Museum, which presented a motorcycle platoon honorary uniform; and the AKAMIA Museum Antsirabe Military Academy, which presented a military officer’s ceremonial dress.

The hybrid workshop, which was illustrated by visuals of the textiles, was attended in person by 50 professionals (collection managers and technicians) from a dozen museums and remotely by 140 members of ICOM’s international network. Four leading international experts in beading, religious art, uniforms and the conservation, display and documentation of historical costume collections gave presentations and shared advice and practices with the audience.

The workshop participants met in January 2025 at the Institut de Civilisations, Musée d’Art et d’Archéologie to provide preliminary feedback on the workshop. Their comments highlighted the value of the booklet that was designed for the workshop, which has since become a reference tool for various practices (in particular regarding textile storage systems and the storage of objects). The participants were quick to implement some of the recommendations, which they found simple and inexpensive.

Tools and future possibilities

In order to record this collaboration between the two ICOM committees, we produced a 67-page practical guide which is now available online and can be downloaded from the ICOM Costume website. This tool can guide all member museums (and particularly those with textile collections) in reorganising their reserves using various storage techniques, caring for beaded objects, dry cleaning textiles and displaying them in exhibitions. Posting the workshop online opened up many possibilities for ICOM Madagascar, as Malagasy museums are now in contact with a network of museum professionals and can strengthen their expertise in textile conservation. Thanks to this, more textile objects will be preserved and fulfil their role as witnesses of history and guardians of memory.

The ‘Objects of Memory’ Solidarity Project and its resources are available on the ICOM Costume mini-website.

The workshop recording and beading master class are available on the ICOM Costume YouTube channel.