Material Cultures of Entertainment Media in Late-Seventeeth-Century
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Objectzine Material Cultures of Entertainment Media in Late-seventeeth-century Japan Selected Object Journals edited by Radu Leca Selected object journals produced on occasion of the course Material Cultures of Entertainment Media in Late-seventeeth-cen- tury Japan, edited by Radu Leca. Design: Susann Henker Institut für Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens Universität Heidelberg 2 It has been a peculiar challenge to teach a course on materi- al culture during a pandemic that requires avoidance of close contact. My initial idea was to bring a variety of objects to the class and entice you to think through their material characteris- tics, social roles and metaphoric meanings. When this became no longer possible, I thought of our shared experience: as we avoided public spaces and contact with other people, our prox- imity and use of objects in our homes increased. I took this as an opportunity to encourage your critical thoughts on the very objects that you found yourselves in confinement with. More than just a closer look, my aim was to spur you to experi- ment with the range of ways in which you can write about and present your chosen objects. Although some theorists attribute discrete agency to objects themselves, I think the power of ob- jects, then and now, lies in their entanglement in social practic- es. This also means that the meaning of objects can be refor- mulated with each use and re-presentation. And in writing our object journals, we explored the various possibilities of redefin- ing objects for, in this case, an art historical audience. A more complex version of that process is required for writing articles and captions. By producing your object journals you have been practicing the skills required for producing art histor- ical texts. While you may not always use the theoretical frame- work of material culture, a close attention to the properties of objects and their meaning of practice is the pre-requisite to all art historical enquiry. It has been a joy to read through your object journals every week and discover your approaches and solutions to presenting meaningful objects. I have learned a lot from your input. Togeth- er you have created this object-zine. It will serve as a material reminder of the beginning of your journey of exploration, and is hopefully the first of your many publications. Keep looking, thinking and writing! Gratefully, Radu Leca 3 The Bookmark by Lukas Bäuschlein For this week’s journal task, which is why I can get behind I‘ve found a bookmark, that the “seeking path” idea. It also was gifted to me by my mother. can be read as “ru“, so that‘s The bookmark‘s color is white a good start. The second letter and it‘s heavier than print pa- cannot be found in my Japa- per. On it are three Chinese nese Database, but it seems Letters depicted. The letters to be a combination of 上 “up” are definitely more cursive, I and 下 “down”, while 下 can be might also say, that it leans read as “ka”. Maybe “up” and into calligraphy. I‘d say the let- “down” as in “lost, but also ters were quickly written, since searching”? The final one 思 as the creator made it a quick in “thinking“ makes sense for business to create bookmarks the meaning, but I can‘t find for passersby. The letters were “su” as a possible reading. In written with black ink. Due to the end, I don‘t care to much the bookmark‘s usage, you can about whether or not the read- faintly make out some black ing is correct or not. I mean it wishy spots, shifting away from probably is. I‘m not profound the letters. The bookmark is in the Chinese Language after said to spell out my name with all. I hold it dear, since I like its the meaning “The one, who design and its function. searches his path” or some- thing in that direction. I how- ever can‘t read out my name with those letters. I‘m familiar with the 路 from 道路 (street), 4 The Album by Sybille Mativet Épouse Ehrlich This object is a photo album. Each element of it is made of pa- per. It is a pocket album to share war memories. On each of the 12 pages the viewer can recognize private snapshots of soldiers’ ev- ery day life during the first World War. It measures 10 x 8 cm and it is unexpectedly light. The cover is made of a sim- ple one thin ply of cardboard which is covered with a beige decorative paper. The surface imitates a paper fiber structure. Its texture feels very smooth. The original sheets were most likely larger and were especially cut for this kind of album. Inside the book each page is made of two thin cardboard lay- ers in between which the pic- tures are glued onto. The pages’ surface is embossed and pro- vides a rough texture. The paper reflects light and looks shiny. Its color is light brown and slightly darker than the outside cover of the book. Each photo is framed with a dark brown line that has been printed especially for this photo album. The pictures are originally black and white, but the color faded over time and they got a yellow finish. My be- loved grandfather commented each photo. 5 Khatam Jewelry Box by Bahar Fatahi Bavand Pour This is a rather old jewelry nal materials such as, different then cut again into stripes for box from Iran. It was crafted in types of wood (ebony, teak, the application onto the wood, Iran using the ancient inlaying orange, rose), camel or cow finished off with a fine lacquer technique called Khatam. This bones and different metals layer. The inside of this box has delicate and time-consuming like silver or brass. To achieve an inlay of a velvet-like textile. technique is one unique way of these complex patterns each There are many objects made marquetry. The small box here material has to be cut into using this technique and the shows a scenery of deer-hunt- 2 mm (or less) thin triangle best works of Khatam are said ing that has been carved con- shaped sticks, that then will be to be from Isfahan. It is best vex into the wooden founda- put together with a string and displayed on a vanity as it is a tion. The beautiful geometrical glue to then be pressed. The jewelry box, that invokes feel- shapes formed into stars were bundle gets cut into pieces ings of nostalgia. made by using various origi- and assembled together and 6 The Notebook by Stefania Fiume This is a little notebook I bought the notebook is also little and in 2015 at the Hungarian Na- hence just a part of the whole. tional Gallery, (Magyar Neu- This aspect is open to many in- zeit Galería) in Budapest. After terpretations. viewing the exhibition this was one of my favourite paintings: The “missing” part of the “Poppy Meadow” (1896) paint- painting included a little sky ed by Szinyei Merse Pál. triangle and a man. Cutting out these parts, the attention It goes without saying that in is more on the botanical facet this kind of paraphernalia the of the painting. Moreover, the original work has more value status changed from being a than the reproduced souve- masterpiece exposed in a na- nir, that is why an important tional museum to a little mem- status change happened. The oire, which is affordable by the original work measurement “common people” and there- were 90x55 cm, oil on canvas, fore could be used in daily life. so here we have just “a por- tion” of the whole canvas. The Please note that a red thread motive which appeared on the was used to put the pages to- canvas is reproduced on pa- gether. They weren’t stapled. per, which is thicker than the common one and rougher to the touch. It is also yellowish. The little portion of the whole painting is a remainder that 7 A little shiny house in a forest by Claire Girard This decorative lamp is com- roof and a pedestal, thus im- pletely made out of wood, ei- itating an archetypical Japa- ther left untreated or painted in nese house or shrine. black. Each piece was cut out individually, then accurately I got the lamp as a birthday assembled and carefully glued present from a close friend, together – except the roof tiles, who now studies architecture which are simulated by incised and art in Karlsruhe. She de- gradations. Finely grained signed the construction, but it paper was attached on the was her father – a retired car- window screens from the in- penter – who build it. I placed side, and right under the attic it in a real limelight spot, on a hangs a lightbulb, which emits white sideboard in front of a a warm golden light shining white wall, framed by two lus- through the translucent win- ciously green plants. In winter, dows. On the bottom of the when the light is on, the lamp building, protected from sight, looks like a cozy home in a a moveable panel was cut out, wide dark forest. so that the lightbulb can easily be replaced if necessary. The whole construction incorpo- rates typical elements of tra- ditional Japanese architecture like shōji windows, a hipped 8 My Grandfather‘s Etagere by Felicitas Jung This étagère is made out of three pieces from the same wood. It consists of two trays, which are connected by a pole.