This contribution reflects critically on Digital Himalaya, a project that set out to explore new methods for collecting, protecting and connecting historical multimedia collections relating to the Himalayan region. The project team digitized older sets of ethnographic data held in European collections to share them back with originating communities in the Himalayan region and with others online. In this reflection, I explore three questions. First, what does it means for a Digital Humanities project to be thought of as ‘mature’? How can this be measured and gauged, and what are the implications of maturity in the digital commons? Second, how can those of us engaged in such partnerships guard against obsolescence, digital decay and decline by future-proofing the assets which we have the privilege of curating and managing? In short, what steps can we take to mitigate risks associated with digital technologies and to maximize the change of success and endurance. Finally, what does it mean to end a Digital Humanities project? How do we bring a project to a close, whether through completion, passing the reins to others or through ethical repatriation? This paper makes the case for rethinking the very essence of what constitutes success in digital humanities.

View full abstract

In Cultural Commons, Hidehiko Sasaki depicts the cultural commons in the form of a “symphonic sphere,” seemingly emphasizing the creation of physical, embodied spaces within cultural institutions. However, this concept can also be realized on digital networks, provided that cultural institutions play a leading role in shaping appropriate spaces. In this paper, we focus on the formation of information technology standards essential for establishing cultural commons in digital environments, examining the TEI (Text Encoding Initiative) Guidelines and IIIF (International Image Interoperability Framework) as case studies. These standards are developed by a diverse group of stakeholders—including developers and users—and, because they do not by themselves generate large revenues, their evolution embodies a commons-like character. By elucidating this aspect, we propose the future potential of digital cultural commons.

View full abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in “placemaking” activities. A “good place” is not simply a physical environment but is jointly constructed through communication. I have been promoting the practice of placemaking through food. Through a series of eating-together practices, I have learned that it is possible to improvise and temporarily create a time and space of “commonness” that exists between “public” and “private.” Such experiences led me to examine how to develop relationships with people, be together (eat together), and communicate through exchange and giving. The present paper attempts to conceptually explore “time and space that belongs to everyone and belongs to no one” based on cases and reexamine the notion of “commoning,” mainly from the perspective of communication studies.

View full abstract

The Osaka Museum of Natural History has focused on fostering a museum community. The Friends of the Museum organization serves as the foundation for its outreach activities. This community plays a crucial role in enhancing the value of the museum’s commons, including its collections and information archives. This study examines the role of the museum’s popular science magazine in encouraging new contributions to the museum community, with a particular focus on changes in the composition of its authors over time. The magazine has successfully attracted many first-time authors, some of whom have continued to contribute. The discussion also considers factors such as the museum’s expanded support for citizen science, the broadening of educational programs, and the involvement of small research groups and academic societies. Additionally, it explores individualized support initiatives and participatory citizen science projects.

View full abstract

At Keio Museum Commons (KeMCo), the “Digital Commons Project” was launched to address the issue of digital collections being used by only a narrow range of communities. This project seeks to collaboratively build and expand the use of these collections with a wider array of social groups. This paper reports on the activities of the project carried out by May 2024, detailing key findings and challenges. Our research, based on interviews and case studies, highlighted the importance of maintaining an appropriate balance with technology. Zines were identified as an effective medium for engaging users and promoting the use of digital collections. Additionally, through the implementation of a prototype learning program, we discovered that classifying the characteristics of digital tools and visualizing participants’ proficiency levels can help create an environment where generational differences in digital literacy do not lead to divides, but instead foster mutual support and collaboration. Furthermore, our findings emphasize the need for more than just digital skill-building programs. For the project’s goals to be fully realized, participants must have opportunities to engage in creative expression based on their own interests while utilizing digital tools and collections.

View full abstract

While Open Science (OS) is driving the digitization of cultural resources (for preservation, sharing, and utilization) globally, progress in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) remains limited. APAC’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and language presents unique challenges, hindering comprehensive digitization efforts. This paper outlines the development of an OS infrastructure specifically for digital humanities within the SOI Asia project, which fosters internetbased research and education collaboration across APAC. Focusing on 1) Sustainable Digital Archives and Preservation of Cultural Heritage, 2) Advancing Research Through Collaboration and Methodology Sharing, and 3) Affordable Digital Resource Access, this initiative is digitizing tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Examples include traditional Nepalese musical instruments, ancient temples in Malang City, Indonesia, and a collection of tombstones in Aceh Province. This paper details the project’s background, overview, progress and future directions.

View full abstract

In this paper, I examine what acts influence its participants in object-based learning (OBL) through artworks and consider how this practice increases the possibility of their Bildung. First, I highlight how OBL, which I focus on in this paper, can aim to engage in dialogue beyond social hierarchies as participants confront their own perceptions through objects. Next, with Wittgenstein’s and Merleau-Ponty’s texts as clues, I point out that OBL through artwork has unique functions because the artwork has its own normativity, which solicitates us. Here, it becomes clear that this learning method allows people to manifest professionals’ perceptions sensitive to the art domain’s normativity in the inference process. Finally, based on the OBL practice by Yohko Watanabe (Professor, Keio University Art Center), I discuss who can realize Bildung and how this can be achieved from three perspectives: 1) participants, 2) facilitators, and 3) artworks. Through the above, I argue that the OBL practice through artworks enables diverse people to promote them to appreciate and create artworks.

View full abstract

KeMCo hosted the exhibition “Ephemera: Printed Matter and Expression”, focusing on printed ephemera in 2024. This exhibition provided an opportunity to reconsider the materiality of institutional publications, particularly as a means to trace time-based works, conceptual art, and performances—the expression that do not leave physical objects. Over time, the forms of publications and information dissemination diversified as media shifted from printed matter to the Internet. The field of media art was particularly responsive to these shifts in information transmission media. For example, Mediamatic, established in the Netherlands in 1983, initially produced magazines as platforms for discussion and later evolved to CD-ROM publications and online information sharing, reflecting the changing times. This paper examines the media characteristics of printed matter, and investigates how the role of publications has changed in the context of a more multimedia-oriented era. It focuses on the relationship between communication media and forms of expression within the field of media art, which often features referential expressions on communication media and media technologies.

View full abstract