Striking museum workers spoof exhibit
Last Updated: Thursday, October 22, 2009 | 5:37 PM ET
CBC News
Striking Canadian Museum of Civilization employees display the photos of 200 picketing workers outside the institution. Striking workers at the Canadian Museum of Civilization have mounted an outdoor exhibit near their picket line, spoofing an international show poised to open at the institution.
The workers' exhibit, called Striking Treasures, features 200 photos of museum employees who have been on strike since Sept. 21.
"The purpose was to show people the real treasures of the museum, … unfortunately on the sidewalk," said Patrice Remillard, a striking museum collections manager.
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures
The sidewalk exhibit parodies Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures —a show featuring 200 pieces of jewelry, sculptures, glassware and other objects from the National Museum in Kabul.
The exhibit opens at the civilization museum Friday and will feature artifacts excavated from four ancient archeological sites in Afghanistan:
- A Bronze-age cache at Tepe Fullol.
- A Greek colony at Aï Khanum.
- A trading center in Bagram.
- A nomad burial ground at Tillya Tepe.
Moira McCaffrey, vice-president of research and collections for the museum, said workers at the National Museum in Kabul hid the artifacts in a presidential palace vault shortly before the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979.
"The assumption was that these treasures had been lost," McCaffrey said. "But in 2003, people stepped forward and explained that they had been hidden for all this time for their safety."
Since then, the artifacts have toured Washington, San Francisco, Houston, New York, Paris and Amsterdam. They will be on display in Gatineau until March 28.
Strike won't stop the show
McCaffrey said museum employees completed their work on the exhibit well before the strike began, and eight curators from Afghanistan and National Geographic installed the artifacts.
McCaffrey said the museum is expecting Hidden Treasures to draw crowds, even though people will have to cross picket lines to see it.
The 420 guides, hosts and other unionized staff at the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum have been without a contract since April 1. Negotiations between their union — the Public Service Alliance of Canada — and the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp., a federal Crown entity, broke down over wages and job security.
