Memory as Care

15.05.2024.

A Soviet-era amber broach; a shoddy jack knife; Czech crystal glasses; a coffee cup with some small cracks; an icon; a hand-written recipe for honey cake: these and so many completely mundane objects hold the potential to become a significant element of material memory practices.  

What is the significance of the objects we inherit or choose to hold on to after the death of our family members or even strangers? Why do we pickle our gherkins and bake our apple cakes following the recipes of our grandmothers? Why do people approaching the end of their life give us as gifts some very specific objects? And what should we make of celebrating Easter in the cemetery and leaving food items on graves? Based on recognisable examples, the talk will be dedicated to the role of objects and material practices in the formation of memories, relationships, personality and caring. 

Anna Žabicka is a museum researcher and social anthropologist specialising in the anthropology of medicine, health, aging, death, caring and kinship. As part of her PhD thesis, she is researching aging and care in the Latvian countryside. Alongside her research work at Pauls Stradiņš Museum of the History of Medicine, Žabicka lectures for MA students in anthropology at Riga Stradiņš University, conducts lectures in bioethics for medical students at the University of Latvia and works on academic studies in anthropology and bioethics. 

Admission to the events with an entrance ticket to the museum: adults – EUR 5.00; students and seniors – EUR 3.00; school students – EUR 2.00. 

Event: 15.05.2024. at 18:00

The lecture will take place in the conference hall of the museum on the 1st floor. More information about accessibility in the museum.