In the last twenty years new forms of socially engaged art have globally emerged aiming to address the impellent environmental perils. Contemporary Japan, where the belief in an ancient harmonious...Show moreIn the last twenty years new forms of socially engaged art have globally emerged aiming to address the impellent environmental perils. Contemporary Japan, where the belief in an ancient harmonious human-nature cohesion is presented as an authentic heritage, provides an intriguing starting point for investigating the emergence of such ecologically committed art forms. How are contemporary art initiatives attempting to sensitize the public to sounder relational and “ecosystemic” ways of living? What are the proposals that are currently being set forth? The comparison and contrast of two initiatives, the Echigo-tsumari Art Field and the Tokyo-based teamLab project, will allow me to move towards the central hypothesis of this thesis, that is, that self-consciously labelling certain artistic practices as “eco”, can sometimes be a pretext for a variety of economic, social and cultural purposes rather than just an artistic concern. The Japanese conception of nature (shizenkan), which inspires both initiatives will be proposed here as a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it can be exploited to market and sell a static, fictionalized idea of nature, but it also has the potential to become a valuable representational idea from which to depart to develop something new.Show less
This thesis explores the approaches taken by the European Union (EU) in its attempts to construct a collective European identity. Though the Union espouses the motto “united in diversity”, a closer...Show moreThis thesis explores the approaches taken by the European Union (EU) in its attempts to construct a collective European identity. Though the Union espouses the motto “united in diversity”, a closer examination of its cultural policies and initiatives reveals a contradictory narrative, wherein the notion of respecting Europe’s “diversity” may be overshadowed by attempts at promoting “unity” through the idea of a cohesive shared heritage. The EU’s politicisation of heritage is therefore the focus of this thesis, as it has influenced the way culture and identity have been promoted following the Treaty of Lisbon in service of fulfilling the aim of an “ever-closer union”. However, the presentation of these concepts is always the result of a process of selection, which is of note in the context of the EU – its promotion of a collective European identity based on a “shared heritage” is also rooted, paradoxically, in the diversity found across its Member States. As such, this thesis seeks to highlight the contestations and contradictions found in the idea of a "collective European identity", which is especially relevant in light of the self-declared “existential crisis” faced by the Union today.Show less
On September 12, 2015, an indigenous tribe, the Kaviyangan married their ancestral pillar to the president of the National Taiwan University (NTU). The pillar Muakaikai was taken from its tribe by...Show moreOn September 12, 2015, an indigenous tribe, the Kaviyangan married their ancestral pillar to the president of the National Taiwan University (NTU). The pillar Muakaikai was taken from its tribe by the Japanese colonizer to the anthropology museum of NTU during the colonial period (1895-1945). As a national treasure, Muakaikai bares the colonized history of its tribe and the possibility of a new cooperative approach between the museum and the source community. Although the authorized heritage discourse still guides the practices of heritage in Taiwan nowadays, the Kaviyangan resisted it with their traditional cultural practice, and eventually came up with an innovative way of dealing with Muakaikai’s repatriating issue. In the heritagization process of Muakaikai, the Kaviyangan people not only built a long-term relationship with the museum but also strengthened their collective identity and intimacy to the tribe.Show less
In my thesis I will prove how the blind spot for furusato in the government's cultural heritage policies is harming rural communities and therefore counteracts various other goals set to relieve...Show moreIn my thesis I will prove how the blind spot for furusato in the government's cultural heritage policies is harming rural communities and therefore counteracts various other goals set to relieve the effects of the economic crisis.Show less
