How have measuring systems shaped our understanding of people and the world? How can art help us grasp the complex legacies of such systems? The new exhibition Measuring Difference at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments explores how seemingly objective measurements have historically functioned as tools of authority and bias, particularly during colonial encounters in the Americas. In this interdisciplinary conversation blending history, science, and art, Pablo  Gómez, Gabriela Soto Laveaga, and Nancy Friedemann-Sánchez will examine Euroamerican measuring systems and their role in constructing racial hierarchies and power structures that persist in Latin America and the United States today. By tracing the history of measuring human bodies—from its roots in the transatlantic slave trade to its lasting influence on modern perceptions of race and identity—and by exploring art that addresses the complexities of multi-layered identities resulting from colonial legacies, this program invites participants to see, understand, and challenge the biases embedded in the measuring systems that shape our modern world.

REGISTER

Visit Measuring Difference at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (1 Oxford Street) for free from 5:00–6:00 pm or after the program from 7:00–8:30 pm.

Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

Presented in collaboration with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

ArtsThursdays is a university-wide initiative supported by Harvard University Committee on the Arts.