土曜日 13 7月, 2024
10:00am BST - 4:30pm BST
In partnership with the Hokusai-kan Museum, Obuse.
This symposium will be held in-person at Wells Maltings and streamed online via Zoom.
Register to attend in person here.
Please note we have arranged transport from Norwich city centre to the venue. Please email sisjac@sainsbury-institute.org for more information and to book your place. We will also be providing catering so please email us if you have any specific dietary requirements.
Register to attend online here.
Using the works displayed in the exhibition Hokusai: A Vision Above as a starting point, this symposium will explore the advancing field of reproductions and replicas within the context of museum and gallery displays and assess the applications, advantages, nuances, and limitations of this developing area of digital production.
About the Symposium
The concept of mechanical reproduction was developed by Walter Benjamin (1892-1940), who posited that replicated artworks lack a certain ‘aura’ — an essence tied to the time and place of their origin. He argued that even the most flawless copy falls short of the original’s unique qualities. Traditionally, art replicas have been seen merely as stand-ins for originals in museums and galleries. However, “master replicas,” created using high-resolution reproduction technologies, allow for a closer examination of essential features of the originals than earlier reproduction methods, such as photography or cast-making. To exploit these high-quality reproductions of 2-D and 3-D artworks, local museums can foster greater public engagement by offering diverse experiences, such as tactile aids, to cater to varied learning preferences and needs. In addition, having recourse to high-fidelity master replicas allows us to capture accurately the colours, textures and size of the original artwork. Examining closely these precise replicas facilitates a deeper appreciation of traditional craftsmanship and its conservation requirements.
These new ways of studying art highlight the exciting possibilities that have emerged from the modern technologies employed in art replication. Additionally, some artworks cannot be relocated physically from the sites for which they were created. In such cases, displaying replicas represents the sole means of exhibiting artworks in various locations. Through master replicas, we can transcend the limitations of time and space, thereby redefining authenticity within the context of educational and display strategies in museums.
This symposium will focus on these types of reproductions, exploring the potential benefits and developments they could bring to museums, as well as discussing the possible disadvantages of their use.
Programme:
09:30: Venue Opens
10:00-10:05: Opening Remarks. Simon Kaner
10:05-10:45 – The New Reproduction/ Fukusei 「新しい複製」. Yasumura Toshinobu [in Japanese, followed by an English translation].
10:45-11:25: Digital Hokusai Project, DX Way of Cultural Heritage and Museums. Kubota Iwao [in Japanese, followed by an English translation].
11:25-11:40: Break
11:40-12:20: Ukiyo-e Originals and Reproductions — From Edo to Modern「浮世絵のオリジナルと複製―江戸から近代―」. Asano Shugo [in Japanese, followed by an English translation].
12:20-12.50: The digital turn in Japanese archaeology and heritage. Simon Kaner.
12:50-13:45: Lunch Break
13:45-14:15: What to Document? – Digital Archiving of Japanese Traditional Crafts. Matsuba Ryoko.
14:15-14:45: Digitisation practices and pedagogy at UCL: Bridging the gap between academia and industry. Jin Gao.
14:45-15.15: Manga: Mass production, evolving technologies and the role of the original. Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere.
15.15-15.30: Break
15:30-16:15: Discussion: Rethinking Re/Production. Moderator: Rosanna Rios Perez.
16:15-16:20: Closing remarks. Yasumura Toshinobu [in Japanese, followed by an English translation].
Speakers
- Yasumura Toshinobu (安村敏信). Director of both the Hokusai-kan Museum in Obuse and the Seikado Bunko Art Museum in Tokyo.
- Asano Shugo (浅野秀剛). Director of both the Abeno Harukas Art Museum in Osaka and The Museum Yamato Bunkakan in Nara.
- Kubota Iwao (久保田巌). President of Ars Techne.
- Matsuba Ryoko (松葉涼子). Lecturer in Japanese Digital Arts and Humanities at the Sainsbury Institute.
- Jin Gao. Lecturer in Digital Archives Department of Information Studies University College London.
- Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere. Research Director of the Sainsbury Institute.
- Simon Kaner. Executive Director and Head, Centre for Archaeology and Heritage of the Sainsbury Institute.
- Rosanna Rios Perez. Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Fellow 2023 – 2024, Sainsbury Institute.
- Arai Miyuki (荒井美礼). Curator of the Hokusai-kan Museum.
This symposium and accompanying exhibition is part of the anniversary programme celebrating 25 years of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.
This symposium is organised by The Hokusai-kan Museum and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.
Special Support: The Ishibashi Foundation. In cooperation with NTT ArtTechnology / Arstechne.
