Circulation and imitation are key factors in shaping the material
world. The authors in this volume explore how technical knowledge,
immaterial desires, and political agendas impact the production and
consumption of visual and material culture across times and places.
Their essays map multidirectional transactions for cultural goods in
which source countries can be positioned at the center.
Rhapsodic – literally to stitch or weave songs – paired with objects – from thrown against – intertwines complexity and action. Rhapsodic objects
thus beckons to the layered narratives of the objects themselves, their
making, and their reception over time. The concept further underlines
their potential to express creativity, generate emotion, and reveal
histories – often tainted with violence.
Noémie Etienne, Universität Bern; Yaëlle Biro, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.