Dimensions
of Information: Giles Lane & Rachel Murphy
Different Cultures
The second idea explores the use of a Urban Tapestries-like platform for people from different cultures to leave their own interpretations of artefacts. This could be done by using a standard pervasive mobile communications device (such as a smartphone or PDA in the short term) that people have in their pocket.
- A platform for different cultural interpretations – for example, other African countries may not put as much emphasise on Ancient Egypt as people from this country.
- A platform to express knowledge about artefacts' true significance to a specific culture.
- A platform to expose museum politics surrounding artefacts – For example a significant part of the Parthenon, the “Elgin Marbles” (below) resides in the British Museum. This has provoked a prolonged debate about whether it should go back to its country of origin or not. The Sarangbang (below) is a reconstruction built by Korean craftsmen and is seen as a traditional piece of architecture for Koreans demonstrating the division of the sexes and the quality of craftsmanship including wooden brackets and lack of nails. This and other artefacts in the Korean gallery were gifts from the Korean people to the British people in the drive towards better relations and understanding between the two cultures.
- A platform for people speaking languages other than English to share insights and ideas without the mediation of translation.
images of the Parthenon Frieze & Korean Saramgbang at the British
Museum
