Travelogue
Discover the meanings travel can have in different cultures through 10 artifacts related to mythical, imagined, diasporic, touristic journeys, and much more
TRAVELOGUE. Stories of travel, migration, and diaspora
Travelogue, the exhibition curated by Katia Inozemtseva and Sara Rizzo, presented by MUDEC in 2025, reflects on the many dimensions of travel through objects from the Museum's collections, which have grown over the years thanks to donations from enthusiasts and travelers.
1. Mythical Journeys
Travel has been a central theme in the myths of various civilizations since ancient times, from the journey to the world of Osiris in Egypt to Dante's otherworldly journey recounted in the Comedy, all the way to Naylamp, the hero who arrives from the sea to found the pre-Inca Sicán civilization.
2. Vertical Archipelagos
Movement, in some contexts, is essential to the community's sustenance. Members of the Quechua population, for example, move to different altitudes throughout the year to take advantage of the varying climatic conditions to diversify their crops.
Cargo bag (mafrash) (Early 20th century) by Shasevan Manufacture (?)MUDEC - Museum of Cultures
3. Around the Caspian Sea
Even in the area around the Caspian Sea, due to the inhospitable climate, various populations move to survive. In this territory, a particular type of tent, the yurt, has developed, characterized by carpets with different functions.
4. The Challenges of Nomadic Life
The Tuareg, a nomadic people living in the central Sahara, are famous for their leatherwork, which they use to make various objects useful during transhumance: saddles, carrying bags, cushions, and small containers for carrying their most precious possessions.
Buddha (18th century) by Tibetan manufactureMUDEC - Museum of Cultures
5. Journeys of the Mind
Traveling is not just a physical necessity; sometimes it can be a truly spiritual need. In the case of Buddhist religions, practitioners can, through meditation, reach "other" dimensions, arriving at a deeper understanding of reality.
The need to achieve a deeper understanding of reality and nature is also inherent in the Andean regions. Traditional medicine is, in fact, characterized by a rich history of using medicinal plants with psychotropic properties.
6. Imagined Journey
Sometimes books are enough to travel with the mind, as was the case with the famous sinologist Carlo Puini. The scholar, who lived between the 19th and 20th centuries, thanks to his knowledge, never traveled to China. This approach testifies to the influence of Orientalism on scholars of the time.
Thong clogs (geta) (Meiji period (19th century)) by Japanese manufactureMUDEC - Museum of Cultures
7. Around the World
Achille Turati is a doctor who, in the early 1900s, decided to travel the world. During his numerous travels, he acquired various objects as mementos of his experiences. These artifacts are now part of the MUDEC collections and speak to us of another type of journey: tourism.
8. Souvenirs, Fakes, and Imitations
Over the years, tourism has given rise to a veritable market of items for travelers, characterized by stereotypical goods, reproductions of local artifacts, and, in some cases, even fakes.
Top ornament for mask (jipae), in the shape of a turtle (mbu) (20th century) by Asmat PeopleMUDEC - Museum of Cultures
9. Collecting and Cooperation
Objects can also be tangible reminders of a humanitarian experience or a social project. The works belonging to Jacob Hoogerbrugge, for example, bear witness to the UNESCO project for the revitalization of Asmat art, in which he participated.
10. Means of Transportation
To travel long distances, humans have always used various means of transportation. During the Tang Dynasty in China, the most common means of transportation were camels, essential for trade along the so-called "Silk Road."
Prisoners of the War (2025) by Yervant Gianikian & Angela Ricci LucchiMUDEC - Museum of Cultures
Prisoners of War
Movement can be dictated by particularly dramatic geopolitical circumstances. Yervant Gianikian & Angela Ricci Lucchi, a duo of contemporary artists, reflect on the theme of diaspora through the reworking of archive films.
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