Comments on: On (Un)seeing http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Sat, 26 May 2012 03:33:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John McCreery http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/comment-page-1/#comment-619386 John McCreery Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:19:43 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2802#comment-619386 "Shuji" is correct. I misheard my sagacious spouse when I asked the name of the photographer. We provided the English translation of an essay in the exhibition catalogue. I thought it might bring an interesting twist to the discussion, since the "unseen" could be similarity as well as difference. In this case, it is interesting that this exhibition occurs at a time of renewed interest in Asia as a source of shared non-Western identity in Japan. As translators we have long had to grapple with the fact that "A-ji-a" (Asia) in Japanese normally means Asia except for Japan. It would be interesting to know how far back this usage goes. My guess is that it starts in Meiji, when Japan was looking to Western models and distinguishing itself from the rest of Asia, may have been interrupted before and during WWII, when Japan was positioning itself as the leader of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, then revived when Japan's defeat in WWII made the USA the model to emulate... “Shuji” is correct. I misheard my sagacious spouse when I asked the name of the photographer. We provided the English translation of an essay in the exhibition catalogue.

I thought it might bring an interesting twist to the discussion, since the “unseen” could be similarity as well as difference. In this case, it is interesting that this exhibition occurs at a time of renewed interest in Asia as a source of shared non-Western identity in Japan. As translators we have long had to grapple with the fact that “A-ji-a” (Asia) in Japanese normally means Asia except for Japan. It would be interesting to know how far back this usage goes. My guess is that it starts in Meiji, when Japan was looking to Western models and distinguishing itself from the rest of Asia, may have been interrupted before and during WWII, when Japan was positioning itself as the leader of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, then revived when Japan’s defeat in WWII made the USA the model to emulate…

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]]> By: Kerim http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/comment-page-1/#comment-619375 Kerim Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:53:28 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2802#comment-619375 John, Thanks. It seems to be transliterated as Shuji Mizobe. I found a single, provocative still from this page: http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/activity/salon/exhibition/2006/06_osaka-3.htm John,

Thanks. It seems to be transliterated as Shuji Mizobe. I found a single, provocative still from this page:

http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/activity/salon/exhibition/2006/06_osaka-3.htm

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]]> By: John McCreery http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/comment-page-1/#comment-619333 John McCreery Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:28:40 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2802#comment-619333 May have mentioned this before, but photographer MIzobe Shuichi recently published a book of street scenes shot in Tokyo and Seoul under the title "Here and There." The images were deliberately not captioned, to draw attention to the similarities of young people in two societies used to thinking of themselves as very different. May have mentioned this before, but photographer MIzobe Shuichi recently published a book of street scenes shot in Tokyo and Seoul under the title “Here and There.” The images were deliberately not captioned, to draw attention to the similarities of young people in two societies used to thinking of themselves as very different.

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]]> By: Paul Ryer http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/comment-page-1/#comment-619332 Paul Ryer Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:40:29 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2802#comment-619332 Along these lines, Marshall Sahlins often cites an apocryphal Ruth Benedict comment that Boas taught his students that "the seeing eye is the organ of tradition." Although I've never been able to find the source of this quote, it seems apt for this post. Along these lines, Marshall Sahlins often cites an apocryphal Ruth Benedict comment that Boas taught his students that “the seeing eye is the organ of tradition.” Although I’ve never been able to find the source of this quote, it seems apt for this post.

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]]> By: Mark B http://savageminds.org/2009/10/11/unseeing/comment-page-1/#comment-619252 Mark B Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:38:26 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2802#comment-619252 Cool post. Cool blog. Cool post. Cool blog.

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