Artivism and Storytelling: The Museum of the Social Revolt in Santiago, Chile

ABSTRACT The Museum of the Social Revolt (MES) in Chile exemplifies a unique intersection of artivism and storytelling, arising spontaneously in response to the 2019 Social Revolt. Derived from a 4‐month fieldwork in this space, this paper explores the museum's decentralized, community‐based curatorial model, where the museum serves as the storyteller, weaving collective memories together. By engaging visitors in a multi‐sensory experience—through visual art, sound, and tactile elements—the museum recreates the emotional intensity of the protests. This aligns with Walter Benjamin's idea of storytelling as a process that transmits collective experiences rather than presenting isolated narratives. The museum also represents an alternative museum model that rejects the commodification of art, emphasizing a participatory and process‐based practice. Ultimately, MES is a critical case study of how museums can contribute to socio‐political change through immersive, community‐driven experiences.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Curator The Museum Journal
Published
2026-06-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.70044
Primary Topic
Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Artivism and Storytelling: The Museum of the Social Revolt in Santiago, Chile

Caterina Figueiredo Paiva
Curator The Museum Journal
Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
article

Artivism and Storytelling: The Museum of the Social Revolt in Santiago, Chile

Caterina Figueiredo Paiva
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Museum of the Social Revolt (MES) in Chile exemplifies a unique intersection of artivism and storytelling, arising spontaneously in response to the 2019 Social Revolt. Derived from a 4‐month fieldwork in this space, this paper explores the museum's decentralized, community‐based curatorial model, where the museum serves as the storyteller, weaving collective memories together. By engaging visitors in a multi‐sensory experience—through visual art, sound, and tactile elements—the museum recreates the emotional intensity of the protests. This aligns with Walter Benjamin's idea of storytelling as a process that transmits collective experiences rather than presenting isolated narratives. The museum also represents an alternative museum model that rejects the commodification of art, emphasizing a participatory and process‐based practice. Ultimately, MES is a critical case study of how museums can contribute to socio‐political change through immersive, community‐driven experiences.

Curator The Museum Journal
Peking University (CN), Peking University People's Hospital (CN)
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.