REPRODUCING ART, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY

Reproductions are omnipresent. The music we listen to consists of reproductions of symphonic legacies, whilst architectural styles synthesize the cityscapes we walk through. As people we share memes, copy trends in fashion, design and speech, and value the reproduction of acts as meaningful rituals and traditions. At the same time, reproductions provoke criticisms on authenticity and originality. From a eurocentric perspective there is still a cultural emphasis on and a preference for the authentic, original, and unique. But what does it even mean to be original? How do authenticity and reproduction influence us as modern-day consumers in and of the city? Can we measure the worth of reproductions? To answer such questions, the third edition of the online, open access, peer reviewed Amsterdam Museum Journal (AMJournal) aims to contribute to the understanding of (re)production as it increasingly becomes a part of our daily lives. 

Reproductions challenge Amsterdam Museum to further explore how they (may) affect the way we encounter and perceive the world around us. Reproductions are crucial for ensuring preservation in material and social terms. Additionally, chronicling the city and her inhabitants is our duty as the city museum of Amsterdam, making reproductions integral to our work; we are dedicated to collecting, displaying, and communicating our city’s significant objects and stories. The emergence of new reproduction methods that enable immersive and interactive experiences, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), as well as 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI), help us mediate materials and experiences in new ways and across different platforms. These advances make it possible to extend museums beyond their walls, whereby digital museums become increasingly common. However, they also pose challenges regarding authenticity, appropriation, and ethics. AMJournal Issue #3 aims to present multifaceted research on this complex and urgent theme.

To ensure a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research, we invite researchers from all disciplines to contribute. From research on cultural significance, inclusivity and accessibility, to studies on the (technical) possibilities and dangers of new reproduction technologies. From research on art, music and fashion reproductions to studies on how reproductions of cultural norms or trends may give us a better understanding of who we are as societies. This multivocality in research aids us in gaining new perspectives, a mission we see as part and parcel of representing an international city such as Amsterdam. As such, we invite scholars from all stages of their careers to contribute – including junior scholars, ambitious students, and freelance researchers – to examine the role of (re)production in cities, society, art, heritage, technology and culture (published open access in 2024).

With guest editors: Liselore Tissen and Tom van der Molen

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