Search results for: museum artifacts

Authors: H. A. J. Nguyen, V. A. Pham

Abstract:

RE:SOUNDING is an ongoing research project and artwork seeking to return the sound and knowledge of Dong Son bronze drums back to contemporary musicians. Colonial collections of ethnographic instruments are problematic in how they commit acts of conceptual, cultural, and acoustic silencing. The collection (or more honestly), the plagiarism, and pillaging of these instruments have systemically separated them from living and breathing cultures. This includes diasporic communities, who have come to resettle in close proximity - but still have little access - to the museums and galleries that display their cultural objects. Despite recent attempts to 'open up' and 'recognise' the tensions and violence of these ethnographic collections, many museums continue to structurally organize and reproduce knowledge with the same procedural distance and limitations of imperial condescension. Impatient with the slowness of these museums, our diaspora led collaborations participated in the opaque economy of the auction market to gain access and begin the process of digitally recording and archiving the actual sounds of the ancient Dong Son drum. This self-directed, self-initiated artwork not only acoustically reinvigorated an ancient instrument but redistributed these sonic materials back to contemporary musicians, composers, and their diasporic communities throughout Vietnam, South East Asia, and Australia. Our methodologies not only highlight the persistent inflexibility of museum infrastructures but demand that museums refrain from their paternalistic practice of risk-averse ownership, to seriously engage with new technologies and political formations that require all public institutions to be held accountable for the ethical and intellectual viability of their colonial collections. The integrated and practical resolve of diasporic artists and their communities are more than capable of working with new technologies to reclaim and reinvigorate what is culturally and spiritually theirs. The motivation to rematriate – as opposed to merely repatriate – the acoustic legacies of these instruments to contemporary musicians and artists is a new model for decolonial and restorative practices. Exposing the inadequacies of western scholarship that continues to treat these instruments as discreet, disembodied, and detached artifacts, these collaborative strategies have thus far produced a wealth of new knowledge – new to the west perhaps – but not that new to these, our own communities. This includes the little-acknowledged fact that the Dong Son drum were political instruments of war and technology, rather than their simplistic description in the museum and western academia as agrarian instruments of fertility and harvest. Through the collective and continued sharing of knowledge and sound materials produced from this research, these drums are gaining a contemporary relevance beyond the cultural silencing of the museum display cabinet. Acknowledgement: We acknowledge the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung of the Kulin Nation and the Gadigal of the Eora Nation where we began this project. We pay our respects to the Peoples, Lands, Traditional Custodians, Practices, and Creator Ancestors of these Great Nations, as well as those First Nations peoples throughout Australia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where this research continues, and upon whose stolen lands and waterways were never ceded.

Keywords: acoustic archaeology, decolonisation, museum collections, rematriation, repatriation, Dong Son, experimental music, digital recording

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Anu Paul, Varghese Paul

Abstract:

The focal aspire of e-Government (eGovt) is to offer citizen-centered service delivery. Accordingly, the citizenry consumes services from multiple government agencies through national portal. Thus, eGovt is an enterprise with the primary business motive of transparent, efficient and effective public services to its citizenry and its logical structure is the eGovernment Enterprise Architecture (eGEA). Since eGovt is IT oriented multifaceted service-centric system, EA doesn’t do much on an automated enterprise other than the business artifacts. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) manifestation led some governments to pertain this in their eGovts, but it limits the source of business artifacts. The concurrent use of EA and SOA in eGovt executes interoperability and integration and leads to Service-Oriented e-Government Enterprise (SOeGE). Consequently, agile eGovt system becomes a reality. As an IT perspective eGovt comprises of centralized public service artifacts with the existing application logics belong to various departments at central, state and local level. The eGovt is renovating to SOeGE by apply the Service-Orientation (SO) principles in the entire system. This paper explores IT perspective of SOeGE in India which encompasses the public service models and illustrated with a case study the Passport service of India.

Keywords: enterprise architecture, service-oriented e-Government enterprise, service interface layer, service model

Procedia PDF Downloads 521

Authors: Zainurrasyid Abdullah, Mohamed Fadzlee Sulaiman, Muhammad Fadzlan Zainal, M. Zabri Adil Talib, Aswami Fadillah M. Ariffin

Abstract:

The Onion Router (Tor) browser is a well-known tool and widely used by people who seeking for web anonymity when browsing the internet. Criminals are taking this advantage to be anonymous over the internet. Accessing the dark web could be the significant reason for the criminal in order for them to perform illegal activities while maintaining their anonymity. For a digital forensic analyst, it is crucial to extract the trail of evidence in proving that the criminal’s computer has used Tor browser to conduct such illegal activities. By applying the digital forensic methodology, several techniques could be performed including application analysis, memory analysis, and registry analysis. Since Windows 10 is the latest operating system released by Microsoft Corporation, this study will use Windows 10 as the operating system platform that running Tor browser. From the analysis, significant artifacts left by Tor browser were discovered such as the execution date, application installation date and browsing history that can be used as an evidence. Although Tor browser was designed to achieved anonymity, there is still some trail of evidence can be found in Windows 10 platform that can be useful for investigation.

Keywords: artifacts analysis, digital forensics, forensic analysis, memory analysis, registry analysis, tor browser, Windows 10

Procedia PDF Downloads 170

Authors: Jessica BrodeFrank, Beka Bryer, Lacey Wilson, Sierra Van Ryck deGroot

Abstract:

Museums are enjoying quite the moment in pop culture. From discussions of labor in Bob’s Burger to introducing cultural repatriation in The Black Panther, discussions of various museum issues are making their way to popular media. “Talking Back to Hollywood” analyzes the impact museums have on movies and television. The paper will highlight a series of cultural cameos and discuss what each reveals about critical themes in museums: repatriation, labor, obfuscated histories, institutional legacies, artificial intelligence, and holograms. Using a mixed methods approach to include surveys, descriptive research, thematic analysis, and context analysis, the authors of this paper will explore how we, as the museum staff, might begin to cite museums and movies together as texts. Drawing from their experience working in museums and public history, this contingent of mid-career professionals will highlight the impact museums have had on movies and television and the didactic lessons these portrayals can provide back to cultural heritage professionals. From tackling critical themes in museums such as repatriation, labor conditions/inequities, obfuscated histories, curatorial choice and control, institutional legacies, and more, this paper is grounded in the cultural zeitgeist of the 2000s and the message these media portrayals send to the public and the cultural heritage sector. In particular, the paper will examine how portrayals of AI, holograms, and more technology can be used as entry points for necessary discussions with the public on mistrust, misinformation, and emerging technologies. This paper will not only expose the legacy and cultural understanding of the museum field within popular culture but also will discuss actionable ways that public historians can use these portrayals as an entry point for discussions with the public, citing literature reviews and quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey results. As Hollywood is talking about museums, museums can use that to better connect to the audiences who feel comfortable at the cinema but are excluded from the museum.

Keywords: museums, public memory, representation, popular culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Hassan Mohmed, Mohamed Ismail, Aiman Rezk

Abstract:

Introduction: This project aims to document and preserve decorated wooden coffins which were discovered in Luxor by Egyptian mission at Luxor, (SR Numbers:2514,2519,2520,2521,5469).These decorated wooden coffins dates back to Egyptian New Kingdom period and has been transferred to the Cairo Museum, to be displayed at the museum. These decorated wooden coffins discovered in the cache-tomb of Bab el-gasus at Deir el-Bahari, Luxor. This site has been dictated for the burials of priests of Amun through 18th Dynasty the coffins owners held these titles, which are as follows: "the embalmer of the beautiful-house (the place of embalming)" and "the servant in the place of truth". Methodology: Methodology: The project objectives making such decorated wooden coffins more visible to visitors through the use of 3D reconstructed coffins and high resolution photos which describe the history of using the wooden coffins during the Ancient Egyptian history Especially, The Cairo Museum is going to exhibit decorated wooden coffins in New kingdom. The project goals is to document decorated wooden coffins and arrange an exhibition, where such decorated wooden coffins going to be displayed next to the Ramses 2nd coffin, This research focuses on the text analyses and the technology. Paleographic information found on these objects. Conclusion: The project shows the importance of using coffins in Ancient Egypt, and connecting their usage through Ancient Egyptian periods; the coffins had a unique Symbolized in ancient Egypt and connect the public with their kings. The Egyptian put coffins in their tombs that they hope to save their bodies’ afterlife. This research will be beneficial and useful for the heritage and ancient civilizations, Indeed this study will open a destination in order to know how to identify these collections and how to exhibit them commensurate with the natural of the ancient Egyptian history and heritage.

Keywords: archaeology, decorated wooden coffins, 3D digital tools for heritage management, museums

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: Fernanda S. Oliveira

Abstract:

The architectural science of lighting has been mainly concerned with technical aspects and has tended to ignore the psychophysical. There is a growing evidence that adopting passive design solutions may contribute to higher satisfaction. This is even more important in countries with higher solar radiation, which should take advantage of favourable daylighting conditions. However, in art museums, the same light that stimulates vision can also cause permanent damage to the exhibits. Not only the visitors want to see the objects, but also to understand their nature and the artist’s intentions. This paper examines the hypothesis that the more varied and exciting the lighting (and particularly the daylight) in museums rooms, over space and time, the more likely it is that visitors will stay longer, enjoy their experience and be willing to return. This question is not often considered in museums that privilege artificial lighting neglecting the various qualities of daylight other than its capacity to illuminate spaces. The findings of this paper show that daylight plays an important role in museum design, affecting how visitors perceive the exhibition space, as well as contributing to their overall enjoyment in the museum. Rooms with high luminance means were considered more pleasant (r=.311, p<.05) and cheerful (r=.349, p<.05). Lighting conditions also have a direct effect on the phenomenon of museum fatigue with the overall room quality showing an effect on how tired visitors reported to be (r=.421, p<.01). The control and distribution of daylight in museums can therefore contribute to create pleasant conditions for learning, entertainment and amusement, so that visitors are willing to return.

Keywords: daylight, comfort, museums, luminance, visitor

Procedia PDF Downloads 486

Authors: Yinjun Tu, Qiang Fang, Glenn I. Matthews, Shuenn-Yuh Lee

Abstract:

This paper reports an efficient and rigorous self-adaptive stimulus artifacts removal approach for a mixed surface EMG (Electromyography) and stimulus signal during muscle stimulation. The recording of EMG and the stimulation of muscles were performing simultaneously. It is difficult to generate muscle fatigue feature from the mixed signal, which can be further used in closed loop system. A self-adaptive method is proposed in this paper, the stimulation frequency was calculated and verified firstly. Then, a mask was created based on this stimulation frequency to remove the undesired stimulus. 20 EMG signal recordings were analyzed, and the ANOVA (analysis of variance) approach illustrated that the decreasing trend of median power frequencies was successfully generated from the 'cleaned' EMG signal.

Keywords: EMG, FES, stimulus artefacts, self-adaptive

Procedia PDF Downloads 399

Authors: Xinyi Le

Abstract:

In this paper, 3D printing orientations were determined through our perceptual model. Some FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers, which are widely used in universities and industries, often require support structures during the additive manufacturing. After removing the residual material, some surface artifacts remain at the contact points. These artifacts will damage the function and visual effect of the model. To prevent the impact of these artifacts, we present a fuzzy extreme learning machine approach to find printing directions that avoid placing supports in perceptually significant regions. The proposed approach is able to solve the evaluation problem by combing both the subjective knowledge and objective information. Our method combines the advantages of fuzzy theory, auto-encoders, and extreme learning machine. Fuzzy set theory is applied for dealing with subjective preference information, and auto-encoder step is used to extract good features without supervised labels before extreme learning machine. An extreme learning machine method is then developed successfully for training and learning perceptual models. The performance of this perceptual model will be demonstrated on both natural and man-made objects. It is a good human-computer interaction practice which draws from supporting knowledge on both the machine side and the human side.

Keywords: 3d printing, perceptual model, fuzzy evaluation, data-driven approach

Procedia PDF Downloads 438

Authors: Justine A. Lloyd

Abstract:

Since the onset of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, the ancient city of Dura-Europos has faced widespread destruction and looting. The site is one of many places in the country the terrorist group ISIS has specifically targeted, allegedly due to its particular representations of Syrian history and culture. However, looted art and artifacts are the extremist group’s second largest source of income, only after oil. The protection of this site is important to both academics and the millions who have called Syria a home, as it aids in the nation’s sense of identity, reveals developments in the arts, and contributes to humanity’s collective history. At a time when Syria’s culture is being flattened, this sense of cultural expression is especially important to maintain. Creating an awareness of the magnitude of the issue at hand begins with an examination of the rich history of the ancient fortress city. Located on the western bank of the Euphrates River, Dura-Europos contains artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Parthian, and Roman periods. Though a great deal of the art and artifacts have remained safe in institutions such as the National Museum of Damascus and the Yale University Art Gallery, hundreds of looting pits and use of heavy machinery on the site has severely set back the investigative progress made by archaeologists over the last century, as well as the prospect of future excavation. Further research draws on the current destruction of the site by both ISIS and opportunists involved with the black market. Because Dura-Europos is located in a war stricken region, the acquisition of data and possibility of immediate action is particularly challenging. Resources gained from local reports, in addition to technology such as satellite imagery, however, have provided a firm starting point for the evaluation of the state of the site. The Syrian Ministry of Culture, UNESCO, and numerous Syrian and global organizations provide insight into the historic city’s past, present issues, and future plans to ensure that the cultural integrity of the site is upheld. Though over seventy percent of Dura-Europos has been completely decimated, this research challenges the notion that physically destroyed sites are lost forever. This paper assesses preventative measures that can take place to ensure the preservation of the site’s art and architecture, including examining possible solutions to the damage, such as digital reconstruction, replication, and distribution of information through exhibitions and other forms of publically accessible information. In order to investigate any possible retribution, research also includes the necessary information pertaining the global laws and regulations dealing with cultural heritage, as it directly affects the ways in which this situation can be dealt with. With the countless experts and citizens dedicated to the importance of cultural heritage, the prospect of honoring and valuing elements of Dura-Europos is possible—whether physically preserved or otherwise.

Keywords: antiquities law, archaeological sites, restitution, Syrian Civil War

Procedia PDF Downloads 167

Authors: Sheyla Moroni

Abstract:

A number of scholars around the world have analyzed the great architectural and urban planning revolution proposed by Skopje 2014, but so far, there are no readings of the parallels between the museums in the Balkan area (including Greece) that share the same name as the museum at the center of that political and cultural revolution. In the former FYROM (now renamed North Macedonia), a museum called "Macedonian Struggle" was born during the reconstruction of the city of Skopje as the new "national" capital. This new museum was built under the "Skopje 2014" plan and cost about 560 million euros (1/3 of the country's GDP). It has been a "flagship" of the government of Nikola Gruevski, leader of the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party. Until 2016 this museum was close to the motivations of the Macedonian nationalist movement (and later party) active (including terrorist actions) during the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum served to narrate a new "nation-building" after "state-building" had already taken place. But there are three other museums that tell the story of the "Macedonian struggle" by understanding "Macedonia" as a territory other than present-day North Macedonia. The first one is located in Thessaloniki and primarily commemorates the "Greek battle" against the Ottoman Empire. While the first uses a new dark building and many reconstructed rooms and shows the bloody history of the quest for "freedom" for the Macedonian language and people (different from Greeks, Albanians, and Bulgarians), the second is located in an old building in Thessaloniki and in its six rooms on the ground floor graphically illustrates the modern and contemporary history of Greek Macedonia. There are also third and fourth museums: in Kastoria (toward the Albanian border) and in Chromio (near the Greek-North Macedonian border). These two museums (Kastoria and Chromio) are smaller, but they mark two important borders for the (Greek) regions bordering Albania to the east and dividing it to the northwest not only from the Ottoman past but also from two communities felt to be "foreign" (Albanians and former Yugoslav Macedonians). All museums reconstruct a different "national edifice" and emphasize the themes of language and religion. The objective of the research is to understand, through four museums bearing the same name, what are the main "mental boundaries" (religious, linguistic, cultural) of the different states (reconstructed between the late 19th century and 1991). Both classical historiographic methodology (very different between Balkan and "Western" areas) and on-site observation and interactions with different sites are used in this research. An attempt is made to highlight four different political focuses with respect to nation-building and the Public History (and/or propaganda) approaches applied in the construction of these buildings and memorials tendency often that one "defines" oneself by differences from "others" (even if close).

Keywords: nationalisms, museum, nation building, public history

Procedia PDF Downloads 84

Authors: Audrey Hudson

Abstract:

In 2020, educational field trips went virtual for all students. At the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Canada, our solution was to create a virtual school program that addressed three pillars of access—economic, geographic and cultural—with art at the center. Now, at the close of three years, we have reached 1.6 million students! Exponentially more than we have ever welcomed for onsite school visits. In 2022, we partnered with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Hong Kong University Museum and the National Gallery of Singapore, which has pushed the boundaries of art education into the expanse of the global community. Looking forward to our fourth year of the program, we are using the platform of technology to expand our program of art, access and learning to a global platform. In 2023/24, we intend to connect across more borders to expand the pedagogical benefits of art education for a global community. We invite you to listen to how you can join this journey.

Keywords: technology, museums, art education, pedagogy

Procedia PDF Downloads 64

Authors: Ioana Simina Frincu

Abstract:

As institutional initiatives often fail to provide good practices when it comes to heritage management or to adapt to the changing environment in which they function and to the audiences they address, private actions represent viable strategies for sustainable knowledge acquisition. Information dissemination to future generations is one of the key aspects in preserving cultural heritage and is successfully feasible even in the absence of original artifacts. Combined with the (re)discovery of natural landscape, open-air exploratory approaches (archeoparks) versus an enclosed monodisciplinary rigid framework (traditional museums) are more likely to 'speak the language' of a larger number of people, belonging to a variety of categories, ages, and professions. Interactive sites are efficient ways of stimulating heritage awareness and increasing the number of visitors of non-interactive/static cultural institutions owning original pieces of history, delivering specialized information, and making continuous efforts to preserve historical evidence (relics, manuscripts, etc.). It is high time entrepreneurs took over the role of promoting cultural heritage, bet it under a more commercial yet more attractive form (business). Inclusive, participatory type of activities conceived by experts from different domains/fields (history, anthropology, tourism, sociology, business management, integrative sustainability, etc.) have better chances to ensure long term cultural benefits for both adults and children, especially when and where the educational discourse fails. These unique self-experience leisure activities, which offer everyone the opportunity to recreate history by him-/her-self, to relive the ancestors’ way of living, surviving and exploring should be regarded not as pseudo-scientific approaches but as important pre-steps to museum experiences. In order to support this theory, focus will be laid on two different examples: one dynamic, in the outdoors (the Boario Terme Archeopark from Italy) and one experimental, held indoor (the reconstruction of the Neolithic sanctuary of Parta, Romania as part of a transdisciplinary academic course) and their impact on young generations. The conclusion of this study shows that the increasingly lower engagement of youth (students) in discovering and understanding history, archaeology, and heritage can be revived by entrepreneurial projects.

Keywords: archeopark, educational tourism, open air museum, Parta sanctuary, prehistory

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Aniekan James Akpan

Abstract:

The use of signs and symbols to represent cardinal information is inalienable among African communities. It has been the tenable instrument of cultural transmission for decades, but in the current transposal of Western values, a good number of communicating codes and symbolic images have been gradually relegated to the background. This paper discusses the regeneration of cultural artifacts and sign languages in Nigerian films using Johnpaul Rebecca and Ayamma as models in a qualitative research based on Charles Sanders Pierce's Semiotics as well as quantitative methods of survey using questionnaire and focus group discussion as instruments to obtain data. With a population of 2,343 viewers of the movies used for the study and a sample size of 322 respondents using Philip Meyer’s guide, findings show that cultural relics can stabilise the subject matter of a film. Artifacts can stimulate curiosity and invoke nostalgia. Sign languages encode deeper information that ordinary speech may not properly convey in films. It concludes that the use of non-verbal codes in filmmaking deserves deep research into the culture portrayed and that non-verbal cues communicate deeper information about a people's cosmos in a film than dialogue. It recommends that adequate research should be made before producing a film and the idea of cultural values represented in artifacts and sign language should be ingrained in the courses for students to acquaint themselves with.

Keywords: cultural artifact, Nollywood films, non-verbal communication, sign language

Procedia PDF Downloads 43

Authors: Badawi Mahmoud, Eid Mohamed, Salih Hytham, Tahoun Mamdouh

Abstract:

Cultural properties made of types of materials; we can classify them broadly into three categories. There are organic cultural properties which have their origin in the animal and plant kingdoms. There are the inorganic cultural properties made of metal or stone. Then there are those made of both organic and inorganic materials such as metal with wood. Most cultural properties are made from several materials rather than from one single material. Cultural properties reveal a lot of information about the past and often have great artistic value. It is important to extend the life of cultural properties and preserve themif possible, that is intended to preserve them for future generations. The study of metallic relics usually includes examining the techniques used to make them and the extent to which they have corroded. The conservation science of archaeological artifacts demands an accurate grasp of the interior of the article, which cannot be seen. This is essential to elucidate the method of manufacture and provides information that is important for cleaning, restoration, and other processes of conservation. Conservation treatment does not ensure the prevention of further degradation of the archaeological artifact. Instead, it is an attempt to inhibit further degradation as much as possible. Ancient metallic artifacts are made of many materials. Some are made of a single metal, such as iron, copper, or bronze. There are also composite relics made of several metals. Almost all metals (except gold) corrode while they rest underground. Corrosion is caused by the interaction of oxygen, water, and various ions. Chloride ions play a major role in the advance of corrosion. Excavated metallic relics are usually scientifically examined as to their structure and materials and treated for preservation before being displayed for exhibition or stored in a storehouse. Bird statue hermit body is made of wood and legs and beak bronze, the object broken separated to three parts. This statue came to Grand Egyptian Museum – Conservation Centre (GEM-CC) Inorganic Lab. Statuette representing the god djehoty shaped of the bird (ibis) sculpture made of bronze and wood the body of statues made from wood and bronze from head and leg and founded remains of black resin maybe it found with mummy, the base installed by wooden statue of the ancient writings there dating, the archaeological unit decided the dating is 3rd intermediate period - late period. This study aims to do conservation process for this statue, attempt to inhibit further degradation as much as possible and fill fractures and cracks in the wooden part.

Keywords: inorganic materials, metal, wood, corrosion, ibis

Procedia PDF Downloads 254

Authors: Rafael Dias Silva

Abstract:

The school is a social institution that should promote learning situations that remain throughout life. Based on this, the teaching activities promoted in museum spaces can represent an educational strategy that contributes to the learning process in a more meaningful way. This article systematizes a series of elements that guide the use of these spaces for the scientific literacy of deaf students and as experiences of this nature are favorable for the school development through the concept of the circularity. The methodology for the didactic use of these spaces of non-formal education is one of the reflections developed in this study and how such environments can contribute to the learning in the classroom. To develop in the student the idea of ​​association making him create connections with the curricular proposal and notice how the proposed activity is articulated. It is in our interest that the experience lived in the museum be shared collaborating for the construction of a scientific literacy and cultural identity through the research.

Keywords: accessibility in museums, Brazilian sign language, deaf students, teacher training

Procedia PDF Downloads 237

Authors: Gracia Lwanzo Kasongo

Abstract:

In the realm of cultural heritage, few issues loom larger than the ongoing battle for restitution faced by European and African museums. In Belgium, this contentious process was set in motion by two pivotal events. Firstly, the resounding revelations of the French report on restitution, which boldly declared that 'over 90% of African cultural heritage resides outside of Africa Secondly, the seismic impact of the Black Lives Matter movement following the tragic death of George Floyd. These two events unleashed a wave of outrage among Afro-descendants, who viewed the possession of colonial collections as an enduring symbol of colonial dominance and a stark validation of the systemic racism deeply ingrained within Belgian society. The instrumentalization of cultural property as a means of wielding political power is by no means a novel concept. Its roots can be traced back to the constructed justifications that emerged in the 1950s, during which the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren played a pivotal role as the self-proclaimed 'guardian of Congolese cultural heritage'. This legacy of legitimizing colonial presence permeates the fabric of Belgium's museum reform policies and the structural management of museums in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Employing a dialectical approach, I embark on an exploration of the intricate historical interplay between the Royal Museum for Central Africa and the Institute of National Museums of Congo. From this vantage point, I delve into the arduous struggles faced by museums in both the DRC and Belgium as they grapple with the complex and contentious issue of cultural heritage restitution. Central to these struggles is the profound quest for meaning and (re)definition of museums, particularly for Congolese and Afro-descendant communities whose identities and narratives have long been marginalized and suppressed. As the narrative unfolds, I shed light on the prospects for cooperation that have emerged from my extensive fieldwork. Within the interplay of historical entanglements, struggles for restitution, and the search for a more inclusive and equitable museum landscape, glimmers of hope emerge. Collaborative efforts and potential avenues for mutual understanding between Belgium and the DRC begin to take shape, offering a beacon of possibility amidst the often tumultuous discourse surrounding cultural heritage.

Keywords: restitution, museum stuggles, belgium, DRCongo

Procedia PDF Downloads 75

Authors: Craig Wight

Abstract:

This presentation will identify the key findings from a recent netnographic discourse analysis of social media content generated in response to visits to three iconic European Holocaust Heritage sites: Ann Frank’s House in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the Auschwutz-Birkenau Memorial Museum and Memorial in Poland, and the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany. Four major discourses are identified under the headings of Holocaust heritage as social memory, reactions to Holocaust heritage, obligation and ritual, and transgressive visitor behaviour. Together, these discourses frame the values, existential anxieties, emotions, priorities, and expectations of visitors. The findings will interest those involved in the planning and management of Holocaust heritage for tourism purposes since they provide unique access to an archive of unmediated visitor feedback on European Holocaust heritage experiences.

Keywords: foucault, european holocaust heritage, discourse analysis, netnography, social media, dark tourism

Procedia PDF Downloads 143

Authors: Eric Enongene Ekembe

Abstract:

Recent calls on EFL teaching posit the centrality of context factors and argue for a correlation between effectiveness in teaching with the learners’ culture in the EFL classroom. Context is not everything; it is defined with indicators of learners’ cultural artifacts and stereotypes in meaningful interactions in the language classroom. In keeping with this, it is difficult to universalise pedagogic procedures given that appropriate procedures are context-sensitive- and contexts differ. It is necessary to investigate what counts as cultural specificities or stereotypes of specific learners to reflect on how different language learning contexts affect or are affected by English language teaching procedures, most especially in under-represented cultures, which have appropriated the English language. This paper investigates cultural stereotypes of EFL learners in the culturally diverse Cameroon to examine how they mediate teaching and learning. Data collected on mixed-method basis from 83 EFL teachers and 1321 learners in Cameroon reveal a strong presence of typical cultural artifacts and stereotypes. Statistical analysis and thematic coding demonstrate that teaching procedures in place were insensitive to the cultural artifacts and stereotypes, resulting in trending tension between teachers and learners. The data equally reveal a serious contradiction between the communicative goals of language teaching and learning: what teachers held as effective teaching was diametrically opposed to success in learning. In keeping with this, the paper argues for a ‘decentred’ teacher preparation in Cameroon that is informed by systemic learners’ feedback. On this basis, applied linguistics has the urgent task of exploring dimensions of what actually counts as contextualized practice in ELT.

Keywords: cultural stereotypes, EFL, implications, procedures

Procedia PDF Downloads 129

Authors: B. Arend, P. Sunnen, P. Caire

Abstract:

In a single case study, we show how a conversation analysis (CA) approach can shed light onto the sequential unfolding of human-robot interaction. Relying on video data, we are able to show that CA allows us to investigate the respective turn-taking systems of humans and a NAO robot in their dialogical dynamics, thus pointing out relevant differences. Our fine grained video analysis points out occurring breakdowns and their overcoming, when humans and a NAO-robot engage in a multimodally uttered multi-party communication during a sports guessing game. Our findings suggest that interdisciplinary work opens up the opportunity to gain new insights into the challenging issues of human robot communication in order to provide resources for developing mechanisms that enable complex human-robot interaction (HRI).

Keywords: human robot interaction, conversation analysis, dialogism, breakdown, museum

Procedia PDF Downloads 305

Authors: Natalie Malone

Abstract:

This study explores the role of a public library in the creation of social spaces for vulnerable populations. The data stems from a longitudinal ethnographic study of the Anderson Library community, which included field notes, artifacts, and interview data. Thematic analysis revealed multiple meanings and thematic relationships within and among the data sources -interviews, field notes, and artifacts. Initial analysis suggests the Anderson Library serves as a space for vulnerable populations, with the sub-themes of fostering interpersonal communication to create a social space for children and fostering interpersonal communication to create a social space for parents and adults. These findings are important as they illustrate the potential of public libraries to serve as community empowering institutions.

Keywords: capital, immigrant families, public libraries, space, vulnerable

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: S. Jagadeesh Kumar

Abstract:

Face detection and recognition is an authoritative technology for image database management, video surveillance, and human computer interface (HCI). Face recognition is a rapidly nascent method, which has been extensively discarded in forensics such as felonious identification, tenable entree, and custodial security. This paper recommends an erudite technique using curvature analysis (CA) that has less false positives incidence, operative in different light environments and confiscates the artifacts that are introduced during image acquisition by ring correction in polar coordinate (RCP) method. This technique affronts mean and median filtering technique to remove the artifacts but it works in polar coordinate during image acquisition. Investigational fallouts for face detection and recognition confirms decent recitation even in diagonal orientation and stance variation.

Keywords: curvature analysis, ring correction in polar coordinate method, face detection, face recognition, human computer interaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 286

Authors: Floriane Shala, Evangeline Wagner, Yichun Zhao

Abstract:

Background: Proper educational training and support are proven to be major components of EHR (Electronic Health Record) implementation and use. However, the majority of health providers are not sufficiently trained in EHR use, leading to adverse events, errors, and decreased quality of care. In response to this, students studying Health Information Science, Public Health, Nursing, and Medicine should all gain a thorough understanding of EHR use at different levels for different purposes. The design of a usable and safe EHR system that accommodates the needs and workflows of different users, user groups, and disciplines is required for EHR learning to be efficient and effective. Objectives: This project builds several artifacts which seek to address both the educational and usability aspects of an educational EHR. The artifacts proposed are models for and examples of such an EHR with a configurable UI to be learned by students who need a background in EHR use during their degrees. Methods: Review literature and gather professional opinions from domain experts on usability, the use of workflow patterns, UI configurability and design, and the educational aspect of EHR use. Conduct interviews in a semi-casual virtual setting with open discussion in order to gain a deeper understanding of the principal aspects of EHR use in educational settings. Select a specific task and user group to illustrate how the proposed solution will function based on the current research. Develop three artifacts based on the available research, professional opinions, and prior knowledge of the topic. The artifacts capture the user task and user’s interactions with the EHR for learning. The first generic model provides a general understanding of the EHR system process. The second model is a specific example of performing the task of MRI ordering with a configurable UI. The third artifact includes UI mock-ups showcasing the models in a practical and visual way. Significance: Due to the lack of educational EHRs, medical professionals do not receive sufficient EHR training. Implementing an educational EHR with a usable and configurable interface to suit the needs of different user groups and disciplines will help facilitate EHR learning and training and ultimately improve the quality of patient care.

Keywords: education, EHR, usability, configurable

Procedia PDF Downloads 157

Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Abd El Kader

Abstract:

This paper describes the conservation processes of an Ancient Egyptian wooden coffin dating back to the Middle Kingdom, ancient Egypt, using several scientific and analytical methods in order to provide a deeper understanding of the deterioration status and a greater awareness of how well preserved the object is. Visual observation and 2D Programs, as well as Optical Microscopy (OM), Environmental scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used in our study. The identification of wood species and the composition of the pigments and previous restoration materials were made. The coffin was previously conserved and stored in improper conditions, which led to its further deterioration; the surface of the lid dust, which obscured the decorations as well as all necessary restoration work was promptly carried out as soon as the coffin was transferred from the display hall from the Egyptian Museum to the Wood Conservation Laboratory of the Grand Egyptian Museum-Conservation Center (GEM-CC). The analyses provided detailed information concerning the original materials and the materials added during the previous treatment interventions, which was considered when applying the conservation plan. Conservation procedures have been applied with high accuracy to conserve the coffin including cleaning, consolidation of fragile painted layers, and the wooden boards forming the sides of the coffin were reassembled in their original positions. The materials and methods that were applied were extremely effective in stability and reinforcement of the coffin without harmfulness to the original materials and the coffin was successfully conserved and ready to display in the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).

Keywords: coffin, middle kingdom, deterioration, 2d program

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Ferentinos George, Papatheodorou George, Belmonte Genuario, Geraga Maria, Christodoulou Dimitris, Fakiris Elias, Iatrou Margarita, Kordella Stravroula, Prevenios Michail, Mentogianis Vassilis, Sotiropoulos Makis

Abstract:

The Ionian Sea Aquarium-Museum in Kefallinia Island, Greece and its twinning with that of Santa Maria al Bagno in the Salento peninsula, Italy, are recently established Hubs in the Ionian Sea funded by the European Territorial Cooperation Programme, Greece-Italy 2007-2013. The objectives of the Ionian Sea Aquarium-Museum are: (i) exhibiting to the public the underwater natural and cultural treasures of the seas surrounding the island, (ii) the functioning of a recreational/vocational hub for all educational levels but also for sea users and stakeholders, to raise their awareness of the seas and engage them in the European notion of the Blue Growth of the Seas and (iii) setting up diving parks in sites of natural and cultural importance. The natural heritage in the Aquarium-Museum is exhibited in five tanks displaying the two most important benthic habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, that is, the Posidonia oceanica and the Coralligene assemblages with the associated rich fauna. The cultural heritage is exhibited in: (i) Dioramas displaying scale model replicas of the three best preserved ancient and historic wrecks. -The Fiscardo Roman wreck dating between 1st cent B.C. and 2nd cent. A.D., which is one of the largest and best preserved in the Mediterranean Sea. -The HMS PERSEUS British submarine, which is known for the second deepest submarine escape from all sunken submarines in WW II, and -A wooden wreck, the Italian ship Alma probably, which was requisitioned by the German army and used for transporting supplies and ammunition. (ii) Documentaries: The first two present the complete story from launching to sinking of: the HMS PERSEUS British submarine, the SS Ardena which is associated with the Italian Aqui Division killed by the German forces in Kefallinia and made known from the book and film “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” and the third documentary deals with the birth place of seafaring in the world, which took place in the Greek. Archipelago by Neanderthals and modern humans between 115 and 35 thousand years ago. The Aquarium-Museum starts from next year (a) educational programmes for schools and tourists to discover the natural and cultural treasures around Kefallinia island, (b) recreational/vocational holiday activities centered on eco-diving and get involved in mapping and monitoring NATURA 2000 sites around the island and thus actively engaged in the Blue Growth of the seas and (c) summer schools aimed at under/post-graduate students, who are interested in marine archaeology and geo-habitat mapping and are looking for a job in the sustainable management of the seas. The exhibition themes in the Aquarium-Museum as well as the recreational /vocational and educational activities are prepared by the Oceanus Net laboratories of Patras University and were selected after surveying the seafloor using the latest state of art sonar and camera technologies.

Keywords: aquarium-museum, cultural and natural treasures, ionian sea, Kefallinia Island

Procedia PDF Downloads 589

Authors: Sakae Suzuki

Abstract:

Although Japanese students study English for six years in secondary schools, they demonstrate little success with it when they enter higher education. Learners’ beliefs can predict the future behavior of students, so it may be effective to investigate how learners’ beliefs limit their success and how beliefs might be nudged in a positive direction. While many researchers still depend on a questionnaire called BALLI to reveal explicit beliefs, alternative approaches, especially those designed to reveal implicit beliefs, might be helpful for promoting learning. The present study seeks to identify beliefs with a discursive approach using visual metaphors and narratives. Employing a sociocultural framework, this study investigates how students’ beliefs are revealed by drawings of themselves and their surrounding environments and artifacts while they are engaged in language learning. Research questions are: (1) Can we identify beliefs through an analysis of students’ visual narratives? (2) What environments and artifacts can be found in students’ drawings, and what do they mean? (3) To what extent do students see language learning as a solitary, rather than a social, activity? Participants are university students majoring in science and technology in Japan. The questionnaire was administered to 70 entering students in April, 2014. Data included students drawings of themselves as learners of English as well as written descriptions of students’ backgrounds, English-learning experiences, and analogies and metaphors that they used in written descriptions of themselves as learners. Data will be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Anticipated results include students’ perceptions of themselves as language learners, including their sense of agency, awareness of artifacts, and social contexts of language learning. Comments will be made on implications for teaching, as well as the use of visual narratives as research tools, and recommended further research.

Keywords: drawings, learners' beliefs, metaphors, BALLI

Procedia PDF Downloads 492

Authors: Donato Maniello, Alessandra Cirafici, Valeria Amoretti

Abstract:

This paper aims to present a new method that consists in the use of video mapping techniques – that is a particular form of augmented reality, which could produce new tools - different from the ones that are actually in use - for an interactive Museum experience. With the words 'augmented reality', we mean the addition of more information than what the visitor would normally perceive; this information is mediated by the use of computer and projector. The proposed application involves the creation of a documentary that depicts and explains the history of the artifact and illustrates its features; this must be projected on the surface of the faithful copy of the freeze (obtained in full-scale with a 3D printer). This mode of operation uses different techniques that allow passing from the creation of the model to the creation of contents through an accurate historical and artistic analysis, and finally to the warping phase, that will permit to overlap real and virtual models. The ultimate step, that is still being studied, includes the creation of interactive contents that would be activated by visitors through appropriate motion sensors.

Keywords: augmented reality, multimedia, parthenon frieze, video mapping

Procedia PDF Downloads 387

Authors: Bouras Zine Eddine, Talai Abdelouaheb

Abstract:

The need to merge software artifacts seems inherent to modern software development. Distribution of development over several teams and breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces are an effective means to deal with the kind of complexity. In each case, the separately developed artifacts need to be assembled as efficiently as possible into a consistent whole in which the parts still function as described. Also, earlier changes are introduced into the life cycle and easier is their management by designers. Interaction-based specifications such as UML sequence diagrams have been found effective in this regard. As a result, sequence diagrams can be used not only for capturing system behaviors but also for merging changes in order to create a new version. The objective of this paper is to suggest a new approach to deal with the problem of software merging at the level of sequence diagrams by using the concept of dependence analysis that captures, formally, all mapping and differences between elements of sequence diagrams and serves as a key concept to create a new version of sequence diagram.

Keywords: system behaviors, sequence diagram merging, dependence analysis, sequence diagram slicing

Procedia PDF Downloads 340

Authors: Camilla Marini, Deborah Agostino

Abstract:

Cultural institutions provide more than service-based offers; indeed, they are experience-based contexts. A cultural experience is a special event that encompasses a wide range of values which, for visitors, are primarily cultural rather than economic and financial. Cultural institutions have always been characterized by inclusivity and participatory practices, but the upcoming of digital technologies has put forward their interest in collaborative practices and the relationship with their audience. Indeed, digital technologies highly affected the cultural experience as it was conceived. Especially, museums, as traditional and authoritative cultural institutions, have been highly challenged by digital technologies. They shifted by a collection-oriented toward a visitor-centered approach, and digital technologies generated a highly interactive ecosystem in which visitors have an active role, shaping their own cultural experience. Most of the studies that investigate value co-creation in museums adopt a single perspective which is separately one of the museums or one of the users, but the analysis of the convergence/divergence of these perspectives is still emphasized. Additionally, many contributions focus on digital value co-creation as an outcome rather than as a process. The study aims to provide a joint perspective on digital value co-creation which include both museum and visitors. Also, it deepens the contribution of digital technologies in the value co-creation process, addressing the following research questions: (i) what are the convergence/divergence drivers on digital value co-creation and (ii) how digital technologies can be means of value co-creation? The study adopts an action research methodology that is based on the case of WORTHY, an educational project which involves cultural institutions and schools all around Europe, creating a virtual collaborative museum. It represents a valuable case for the aim of the study since it has digital technologies at its core, and the interaction through digital technologies is fundamental, all along with the experience. Action research has been identified as the most appropriate methodology for researchers to have direct contact with the field. Data have been collected through primary and secondary sources. Cultural mediators such as museums, teachers and students’ families have been interviewed, while a focus group has been designed to interact with students, investigating all the aspects of the cultural experience. Secondary sources encompassed project reports and website contents in order to deepen the perspective of cultural institutions. Preliminary findings highlight the dimensions of digital value co-creation in cultural institutions from a museum-visitor integrated perspective and the contribution of digital technologies in the value co-creation process. The study outlines a two-folded contribution that encompasses both an academic and a practitioner level. Indeed, it contributes to fulfilling the gap in cultural management literature about the convergence/divergence of service provider-user perspectives but it also provides cultural professionals with guidelines on how to evaluate the digital value co-creation process.

Keywords: co-creation, digital technologies, museum, value

Procedia PDF Downloads 147

Authors: Tamer Mokhtar Mohamed Ahmed

Abstract:

The metalwork industry during the Mamluk period received the attention and care of the sultans and princes, thus helping in the prosperity of this industry during this period. We are fortunate that a huge number of metal artifacts from the industry of Egypt and Syria of this period have come down to us, many of which are preserved in Egyptian and international museums as well as private collections. Characterized by great diversity in its forms, sizes and functions, including the decorative designs executed on them, the artifacts reflected the extent of artistic creativity that characterized the arts in the two Mamluk period. This research paper aims to study three copper dishes from the Mamluk Circassian period and the rare documentary texts on them that have not been previously studied. These dishes date back to different decades from the 9th AH/15 AD century. One of them bears the name of Sultan Al-Muayyad Shaikh, and the second is the name of one of the great Mamluk princes in the Mamluk Circassian period, Prince Yashbak min Mahdi. The third dish is attributed to Prince Jan Balat Al-Ashrafie.

Keywords: metalwork, dishes, decorative, calligraphy, Mamluk Arts

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: Zeineb Yousse, Fakher Kharrat

Abstract:

Mosaic is a part of a broad universal cultural heritage; sometimes it represents a rather essential source for the researches on the everyday life of some of the previous civilizations. Tunisia has one of the finest and largest collections of mosaics in the world, which is essentially exhibited in the Museums of Bardo and Sousse. Restored and reconstituted, they bear witnesses to hard work. Our paper deals with the discipline of conservation of Roman mosaics based on the proceedings of the workshop of the Museum of Sousse. Thus, we highlight two main objectives. In the first place, it is a question of revealing the techniques adopted by professionals to handle mosaics and to which school of conservation these techniques belong. In the second place, we are going to interpret the works initiated to preserve the archaeological heritage in order to protect it in present time and transmit it to future generations. To this end, we paid attention to four Roman mosaics currently exhibited in the Museum of Sousse. These Mosaics show different voids or gaps at the level of their surfaces and the method used to fill these gaps seems to be interesting to analyze. These mosaics are known under the names of: Orpheus Charming the Animals, Gladiator and Bears, Stud farm of Sorothus and finally Head of Medusa. The study on the conservation passes through two chained phases. We start with a small historical overview in order to gather information related to the original location, the date of its composition as well as the description of its image. Afterward, the intervention process is analyzed by handling three complementary elements which are: diagnosis of the existing state, the study of the medium processing and the study of the processing of the tesselatum surface which includes the pictorial composition of the mosaic. Furthermore, we have implemented an evaluation matrix with six operating principles allowing the assessment of the appropriateness of the intervention. These principles are the following: minimal intervention, reversibility, compatibility, visibility, durability, authenticity and enhancement. Various accumulated outcomes are pointing out the techniques used to fill the gaps as well as the level of compliance with the principles of conservation. Accordingly, the conservation of mosaics in Tunisia is a practice that combines various techniques without really arguing about the choice of a particular theory.

Keywords: conservation, matrix, museum of Sousse, operating particular theory, principles, Roman mosaics

Procedia PDF Downloads 329