Creating Authenticity

Alexander Geurds

ISBN 10: 9088902054 / ISBN 13: 9789088902055

Published by Sidestone Press Nov 2013, 2013

About this Item

This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -'Authenticity' and authentication is at the heart of museums' concerns in displays, objects, and interaction with visitors. These notions have formed a central element in early thought on culture and collecting. Nineteenth century-explorers, commissioned museum collectors and pioneering ethnographers attempted to lay bare the essences of cultures through collecting and studying objects from distant communities. Comparably, historical archaeology departed from the idea that cultures were discrete bounded entities, subject to divergence but precisely therefore also to be traced back and linked to, a more complete original form in de (even) deeper past. Much of what we work with today in ethnographic museum collections testifies to that conviction. Post-structural thinking brought about a far-reaching deconstruction of the authentic. It came to be recognized that both far-away communities and the deep past can only be discussed when seen as desires, constructions and inventions. Notwithstanding this undressing of the ways in which people portray their cultural surroundings and past, claims of authenticity and quests for authentication remain omnipresent. This book explores the authentic in contemporary ethnographic museums, as it persists in dialogues with stakeholders, and how museums portray themselves. How do we interact with questions of authenticity and authentication when we curate, study artefacts, collect, repatriate, and make (re)presentations The contributing authors illustrate the divergent nature in which the authentic is brought into play, deconstructed and operationalized. Authenticity, the book argues, is an expression of a desire that is equally troubled as it is resilient. Contents: Culture Sketching: The Authenticity Quest in Ethnographic Museums: An Introduction Dr. Alexander GeurdsReal, Fake or a Combination Examining the Authenticity of a Mesoamerican Mosaic Skull Martin E. BergerWhen is Authentic Situating Authenticity in the Itineraries of Objects Prof. Rosemary JoyceAuthentic Forgeries Prof. Oliver WatsonFrom Lukas to Liefkes Age and Authenticity of Gold Jewellery from Sumba, Indonesia Francine BrinkgreveThe Real Stuff: Authenticity and Photography from East Greenland in the Netherlands Dr. Cunera BuijsAlternative Authenticities (and Inauthenticities) Prof. Sally PriceAuthenticity and Curatorial Practice Dr. Laura N.K. Van Broekhoven 178 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9789088902055

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Creating Authenticity
• Publisher: Sidestone Press Nov 2013
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9088902054
• ISBN 13: 9789088902055
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 257W x 182H x 12D millimeters 257 millimeters width by 182 millimeters height by 12 millimeters depth
• Weight: 401 grams

About this title

Synopsis

‘Authenticity’ and authentication is at the heart of museums’ concerns in displays, objects, and interaction with visitors. These notions have formed a central element in early thought on culture and collecting. Nineteenth century-explorers, commissioned museum collectors and pioneering ethnographers attempted to lay bare the essences of cultures through collecting and studying objects from distant communities. Comparably, historical archaeology departed from the idea that cultures were discrete bounded entities, subject to divergence but precisely therefore also to be traced back and linked to, a more complete original form in the (even) deeper past.
Much of what we work with today in ethnographic museum collections testifies to that conviction. Post-structural thinking brought about a far-reaching deconstruction of the authentic. It came to be recognized that both far-away communities and the deep past can only be discussed when seen as desires, constructions and inventions.
Notwithstanding this undressing of the ways in which people portray their cultural surroundings and past, claims of authenticity and quests for authentication remain omnipresent. This book explores the authentic in contemporary ethnographic museums, as it persists in dialogues with stakeholders, and how museums portray themselves. How do we interact with questions of authenticity and authentication when we curate, study artefacts, collect, repatriate, and make (re)presentations? The contributing authors illustrate the divergent nature in which the authentic is brought into play, deconstructed and operationalized. Authenticity, the book argues, is an expression of a desire that is equally troubled as it is resilient.
Published in co-operation with the Dutch National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden.

Table of Contents

Culture Sketching: The Authenticity Quest in Ethnographic Museums: An Introduction
Dr. Alexander Geurds

Real, Fake or a Combination? Examining the Authenticity of a Mesoamerican Mosaic Skull
Martin E. Berger

When is Authentic? Situating Authenticity in the Itineraries of Objects
Prof. Rosemary Joyce

Authentic Forgeries?
Prof. Oliver Watson

From Lukas to Liefkes? Age and Authenticity of Gold Jewellery from Sumba, Indonesia
Francine Brinkgreve

The Real Stuff: Authenticity and Photography from East Greenland in the Netherlands
Dr. Cunera Buijs

Alternative Authenticities (and Inauthenticities)
Prof. Sally Price

Authenticity and Curatorial Practice
Dr. Laura N.K. Van Broekhoven