Att gotta sig i det gamla : en undersökning av autenticitet vid två svenska museer
(2014) ABMM74 20141Division of ALM and Digital Cultures
- Abstract
- The concept of authenticity is hard to define and may vary in time, place, and between different cultures and societies. We have aimed to explore the emotional experience of authenticity, the fascination for the real things from the past.
In this thesis we have approached the subject in a museum context, specifically in historical exhibitions. The emphasis is on how museum staff argues the use of objects, real and copies, in exhibitions and how visitors perceive these objects. Here, in the encounter between the museums’ presentation of and the visitors’ expectations on authenticity, we see a potential problem. The complexity of the subject - its abstract nature and the lack of common views regarding its definition and value - may cause... (More) - The concept of authenticity is hard to define and may vary in time, place, and between different cultures and societies. We have aimed to explore the emotional experience of authenticity, the fascination for the real things from the past.
In this thesis we have approached the subject in a museum context, specifically in historical exhibitions. The emphasis is on how museum staff argues the use of objects, real and copies, in exhibitions and how visitors perceive these objects. Here, in the encounter between the museums’ presentation of and the visitors’ expectations on authenticity, we see a potential problem. The complexity of the subject - its abstract nature and the lack of common views regarding its definition and value - may cause misconceptions in the mediation of objects and history. The purpose of this thesis is to raise the issue and discuss potential problems concerning authenticity. By doing so we hope to bring attention to and contribute to a greater understanding of a relevant subject in academic research and museological practice.
Our theoretical point of view is inspired by social constructivism and hermeneutics. We assume that authenticity as a phenomenon is a social construction and that all human beings experience and interpret their environment differently. We consider authenticity, its meaning and value, to be attributes we humans ascribe objects. Authenticity then, is not inherently present in the object itself, but rather created in the eye of the beholder. Therefore authenticity can be ascribed to copies as well as real objects. As we were interested in how people perceive authenticity, we interviewed museum staff and museum visitors. To complement the interviews with the visitors we conducted a questionnaire. The surveys were executed at Regionmuseet Kristianstad and The Royal Armoury in Stockholm. In the thesis we use exhibitions and specific objects in these museums as examples in our arguments.
In all of the aforementioned surveys we found that there is a great range in opinions concerning what authenticity is, as well as its meaning. We have found that there is indeed no one true answer to what authenticity is and how it is perceived and valued by museum staff and visitors. However, we have seen that the differing approaches to authenticity in exhibitions may become an issue, since the visitors expectations on authenticity aren’t always met by the museums presentation of the same. By bringing attention to and discussing the problems that may arise when differing opinions on authenticity meet, we hope to have illustrated how an abstract and elusive phenomenon can greatly impact the presentation, mediation and understanding of objects and history in exhibitions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4456728
- author
- Kaneklint, Thomas LU and Naalisvaara, Maria LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Relishing in Relics : a survey of authenticity at two Swedish museums
- course
- ABMM74 20141
- year
- 2014
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- ALM, authenticity, museum, objects, materiality studies, exhibition, museology, mediation, copy, reconstruction, visitors, museum personnel ABM, autenticitet, föremål, materialitetsstudier, utställning, museologi, förmedling, kopia, rekonstruktion, besökare, museipersonal
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 4456728
- date added to LUP
- 2014-09-09 17:00:28
- date last changed
- 2014-09-09 17:00:28
@misc{4456728,
abstract = {{The concept of authenticity is hard to define and may vary in time, place, and between different cultures and societies. We have aimed to explore the emotional experience of authenticity, the fascination for the real things from the past.
In this thesis we have approached the subject in a museum context, specifically in historical exhibitions. The emphasis is on how museum staff argues the use of objects, real and copies, in exhibitions and how visitors perceive these objects. Here, in the encounter between the museums’ presentation of and the visitors’ expectations on authenticity, we see a potential problem. The complexity of the subject - its abstract nature and the lack of common views regarding its definition and value - may cause misconceptions in the mediation of objects and history. The purpose of this thesis is to raise the issue and discuss potential problems concerning authenticity. By doing so we hope to bring attention to and contribute to a greater understanding of a relevant subject in academic research and museological practice.
Our theoretical point of view is inspired by social constructivism and hermeneutics. We assume that authenticity as a phenomenon is a social construction and that all human beings experience and interpret their environment differently. We consider authenticity, its meaning and value, to be attributes we humans ascribe objects. Authenticity then, is not inherently present in the object itself, but rather created in the eye of the beholder. Therefore authenticity can be ascribed to copies as well as real objects. As we were interested in how people perceive authenticity, we interviewed museum staff and museum visitors. To complement the interviews with the visitors we conducted a questionnaire. The surveys were executed at Regionmuseet Kristianstad and The Royal Armoury in Stockholm. In the thesis we use exhibitions and specific objects in these museums as examples in our arguments.
In all of the aforementioned surveys we found that there is a great range in opinions concerning what authenticity is, as well as its meaning. We have found that there is indeed no one true answer to what authenticity is and how it is perceived and valued by museum staff and visitors. However, we have seen that the differing approaches to authenticity in exhibitions may become an issue, since the visitors expectations on authenticity aren’t always met by the museums presentation of the same. By bringing attention to and discussing the problems that may arise when differing opinions on authenticity meet, we hope to have illustrated how an abstract and elusive phenomenon can greatly impact the presentation, mediation and understanding of objects and history in exhibitions.}},
author = {{Kaneklint, Thomas and Naalisvaara, Maria}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Att gotta sig i det gamla : en undersökning av autenticitet vid två svenska museer}},
year = {{2014}},
}