3rd Group

Towards a global “objectification” of Japanese art data
3rd Group: Moon Junglee, Carolyn Jane Wargula, Cordula Treimer
2. Towards a Global Objectification of
Japanese Art Data
Moon, Junghee
Through the JAL 2015 project, I
understand that Japan has vast art data;
and identify distinctive characteristics of
books and visual resources conserved in art
museums and research institutions that I
visited. Especially, I appreciate being given
an opportunity to study possible way to
improve accessibility and usability of art
data in Japan. The project has enormous
significance in promoting the mutual close
understanding and approval among the
invited librarians/archivists and Japanese
people involved including the organizers of
the project. Hereafter, I explore further new
direction in accessibility and usability of art
data in Japan entitled "Towards a Global
Objectification of Japanese Art Data."
The term "Global" in the title refers to the
world, or the earth, with all its countries, or
rather, the communication center where we
actively exchange art resources. In other
perspective, "Global" is a major theme of
discussions for enhancing and
disseminating universal knowledge of
humankind. Contrarily, a term "localism" of
Japanese art database characterizes the
limited usability of Japanese art data. Thus
I rather believe that we may interpret
"Global" as growing positive opportunity of
sharing Japanese art resources worldwide,
beyond the sphere of their local area.
The ICT revolution in 1990s somewhat
gives an impression that it has facilitated
sharing today's information over the Web
freely. I believe that the revolution only
helps disseminate a mass of information,
leaving accessibility or accurate and deep
traceability to resources significantly
restricted. I conceive that information in
transborder database is shared and
consumed in global activities, but access to
local database in some regions by some
users is restricted because of its unique
regional characteristics. "Localism" of
database refers to this limitation in
accessibility. In this context, if the issue of
"localism" is solved and the art data spreads
worldwide over the globalized Internet, a
new environment for objectified art
resources is created.
Objectification of Japanese art resources,
the goal that the organizers of the JAL
project aim to achieve, is the first step for us
to take a new opportunity to leverage the
data. This is attained by collaboration of
specialized librarians, resources-collectingarchivists, and related scholars including
myself. The participants of the project
demonstrate its goal. Aiming to create a
new global environment for objectified art
resources, three of us discussed and decided
to make respective presentations focusing
on "sharing," "accessing," and
"collaboration." Being the first speaker, I
presented my study about how databases of
art resources must be shared in our global
age.
First of all, we believe it necessary to
consider the key words of "sharing,"
"accessing," and "collaboration" in order to
create a new global environment for
objectified art resources. In the light of the
global age, "localism" of the Japanese art
databases is characterized by unique
isolation.
The Japanese art databases are precious,
yet undiscovered to the world. We need to
take a constructive approach to disseminate
the unknown databases to the world.
Promoting dissemination needs improving
accessibility in the general public, which in
turn illustrates the terms "objectification of
Japanese art resources." Our close
collaboration in improving accessibility and
increasing website traffic will expand
opportunity to share resources.
Collection of content is the first step for
developing a database of art resources and
creation of a database by compiling the
content is the second. A database must put
the highest priority on the user-friendliness.
As an example of collaboration, I suggest
that Japanese libraries form a consortium
with overseas institutions, or collaborate
with databases institutes of Japanese art
resources outside Japan, to develop the
database platform and interface.
Consequently, such collaboration improves
accessibility for and increase website traffic
of overseas users. If all specialists concerned
recognize how important the objectified art
database is, they enhance sharing of the
resources. In these efforts, locally limited
database of Japanese art resources will be
objectified.
3. Towards a Global Realization of Japanese
Art Data
Carolyn Jane Wargula
Here, I will propose that we need to
rethink the definition of “Open Access” in
order for a global realization of Japanese
art-related information. While we saw
several digital image repositories from
Japanese research institutions and art
museums, I was surprised to find that some
of these databases are not accessible online
to the public. While these are wonderful
resources, by remaining inaccessible, they
do not further scholarly access for
international researchers. Contractual
obligations and copyright laws may be a
cause of these restrictions. Nevertheless, by
redefining the meaning of “Open” and
“Access,” I think that more art-related
information can be shared effectively with
international researchers.
“Open Access” can be defined as
unrestricted access of materials worldwide
through the Internet. The term “open” is
synonymous with “unrestricted” and can be
applied to both users and content. As for
users, both the creators and viewers of
content come to mind. By collaborating with
scholars from various institutions,
geographic locations, and nations, these
databases can feature voices from outside a
particular group. Regardless of contractual
obligations, this creates an unrestricted
community working towards a specific goal.
For example, the Ukiyoe Geijutsu database
was jointly created by the International
Ukiyo-e Society and The International
Research Center for Japanese Studies with
an aim to aid researchers of Japanese art
worldwide. In this way, the database
involves researchers from various
institutions and countries to create content.
We must also rethink the meaning of
unrestricted content. Most of the highresolution images accessible online are
artworks designated as “National Treasures”
or “Important Cultural Properties” under
Japan’s Law for the Protection of Cultural
Property. This creates a hierarchy in the
types of objects that are accessible for
research. Objects that do not fit this
category, particularly folk art, can become
even more difficult to study. In this way, the
types of content displayed can have
repercussions on Japanese art-related
scholarship. The 3D database created by the
Tsubochi Memorial Theatre at Waseda
University is a prime example of an
institution rethinking unrestricted content.
This database features a wide variety of
theatre masks, not only used in baguku or
noh in Japan, but also Chinese, Korean,
Tibetan, and Indonesian theatre. This
database features open content not only by
including masks from a variety of nations,
but by displaying works that may not be
considered “art” by the common museum
visitor.
Next, I’d like to discuss the need to rethink
“access.” Launching a database online is not
enough for it to be considered accessible.
These databases should include descriptions
with their main objectives and offer
tutorials that guide users within the space.
These databases should be multilingual to
help international users and include not
only a search function, but also a browsing
function for a general user that may not
necessarily know what key terms to search.
I think the goal of a database is similar to
that of a museum: databases should be
created not only to meet the needs of the
researcher, but also, the general public.
Like museums, databases should be created
with the aim to foster interest in Japanese
art for a wider audience.
For example, the Heilbrunn Timeline of
Art History, located on the Metropolitan
Museum of Art’s website, was created for a
general audience. This image on the screen
shows the Japan timeline from 1400-1600
CE and includes a short overview of the
political and social history of the
Muromachi Period and Momoyama Period,
lists several key events, and features
images of Muromachi/Momoyama objects
from the Met Collection. When a user clicks
related contents, there are maps,
chronologies of China and Korea, and a list
of Japanese rulers. A variety of short essays
concerning the Decoration of Arms and
Armor, Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, and
Joseon Buncheong Ware are also listed. In
this way, the content is unrestricted by
sharing information that crosses national
boundaries. This allows a user to browse
more widely and have broader access with
the material.
4. Simplify the search
Cordula Treimer
Base
We have gotten to know enthusiastic
people working on Interesting project
producing great resources during the trip.
I am also impressed by the MALUI group,
bridging the institutional divide between
museum, archive, library, university and
industry.
Suggestions
Providing an easy search screen in other
languages will lower the threshold to the
use of your resources. Show what you have!
Search Input
Unified access points provide maximum
search results. Mapping for kanji and
romaji should be provided
Standardization
Unified rules (minimal standard) for
cataloging, meta data production and data
base content lower the barrier between
material groups.
Search output
Providing worldwide access through
unified access points, at least to the meta
data, channels researchers towards
institutions working on or owning the same
topics.
Internationalization
Internationalization
Even Japanese art history on Japan can
profit from internationalization (concerning
content, form, method, public relations, etc.).
Include foreign researchers in the projects,
the view from outside will make results
even better. Present your resources
internationally, in journals, on platforms,
social media and conferences. ”Do good and
talk about it“ (in more than one language).
although Japanese data bases do not
provide the reading in Latin script, our
catalogs do not work without it.
To illustrate my points I would like to
present two sites, which provide a search
screen in different languages. The first is
Europeana (http://www.europeana.eu),
which has been introduces in a previous
presentation. Funded by the European
Union it provides digital reproductions of
objects held at museums, libraries and
archives. The data is provided by
institutions in the different European
countries, but they do not have to provide
all their data. The results can be used under
the creative commons license. At this year’s
conference of the European Association of
Japanese Resource Specialists (EAJRS,
http://eajrs.net/) in Leiden, NL, you could
often hear the sentence ”Obviously, we need
something like Europeana in Japan.“ The
NDL search seems to resemble Europeana,
but unfortunately the number of
participating institutions is much lower. At
Europeana, the interface allows search
requests in the over 20 languages used
within the European Union.
In my field of study, East Asian art history,
the pictures are particularly important. It is
possible to understand the information
about the picture using electric dictionaries,
but if the user can not even understand the
search screen, it is a huge hurdle.
The other example is KVK – Karlsruhe
Virtual Catalog
(http://kvk.bibliothek.kit.edu). It is a metasearch-engine for libraries worldwide. It is
possible to choose every single OPAC for
each search. Should more information about
a single institution be required, a click on
its name leads to its homepage. Although it
is an outstanding website, there is not a
single Asian library participating in the
service. The search is possible not only in
German, but also in English.
Europeana and KVK both have a common
problem: If the kanji have not been entered
into the databases, a search with them will
not yield results. On the other hand,
These are some of the reasons for my
suggestions: Lower the threshold to your
search and show what you have!
第3グループ
美術資料のグローバルな客体化へ向けて
目次
Towards a global “objectification” of Japanese art data
１．はじめに
２．グ
グローバル時代の美術資料
ル時代の美術資料DBの共
の美術資料の共有
の共有性（文貞姫）
３．オープンとアクセスの再検討（キャロリン・ワグーラ）
文貞姫（
Junghee)
文貞姫（MOON,
姫（
キャロリン
WARGULA)
ャロリン・ワグーラ（
ワグーラ（Carolyn
ラ（
コルドゥラ
TREIMER）
）
コルドゥラ・トライマー（
トライマー（Cordula
ー（
４．探索を簡単にする（
（コルドゥラ・トライマー）
４．
５．結び
1
1．はじめに
．はじめに
2
２．グローバル
２．グローバル時代の美術資料
グローバル時代の美術資料DBの共有性（文貞姫）
時代の美術資料の共有性（文貞姫）
グローバル時代の共有性
美術資料のグローバルな客体
美術資料のグローバルな客体化
のために
な客体化のために
共有、アクセス、協力などを考える。
ローカリズム
世界化
アクセス
日本
美術資料DB
＋
＝
コラボ
美術館、
図書館
総合DB
共有性
3
4
共有性
客体化
アクセス
美術資料 DB
ユーザー
ユーザー
海外のアクセス
利用可能性
企画
美術資料 DB
コラボ
プラットホーム
DBとDBを連結の為
にプラットホーム
コンテンツ
コンテンツ
日本以外にも存在する
日本美術資料DB収集
5
6
第3グループ
３．オープンとアクセスの再検討（
アクセスの再検討（キャロリン
再検討（キャロリンワグーラ）
ワグーラ）
オープン
オープンアクセスとは
クセスとは
オープンとアクセスの意味を再検討して、
データベースと日本美術資料の海外での利用者
の範囲を広める
オープンアクセスとは
クセスとは誰もがインターネットを通して資料
の閲覧ができる
7
8
「日文研」の共同的なDB
オープン
オープンの意味を再検討
自由な利用と構築(Open
とは民族的・地域的・国家的な
自由な利用と構築
は民族的・地域的・国家的な
制限がない）
ユーザーとコンテンツのオープン化
コンテンツのオープン化
ユーザーのオープン化
ユーザーのオープン化
• データベースの作成者は美術館・研究所の人に限られ
ている事が多い
ている事が多い
• 海外の研究者と共同
海外の研究者と共同でデータベースを構築した方がい
共同でデータベースを構築した方がい
い
9
10
早稲田大学の仮面のデジタル化
オープン
オープンの意味を再検討
コンテンツのオープン化
コンテンツのオープン化
• 所蔵作品DBは、美術館の所蔵作品に
所蔵作品は、美術館の所蔵作品に限られている
は、美術館の所蔵作品に限られている
• 国宝・重要文化財などに限られている時もある
国宝・重要文化財などに限られている時もある
→日本美術の
日本美術の知識
日本美術の知識を、より深めることができない
知識を、より深めることができない
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12
第3グループ
アクセスの意味を再検討
アクセス
アクセスとはコンタクトして引き出すこと
アクセス
海外のユーザーと近くなるとは
• データベースを公開するだけではまだアクセス不足
• 日本語以外の言語での解説
• ブラウズの仕組み
様々な利用者を考える必要があ
様々な利用者を考える必要がある
な利用者を考える必要がある
• データベースも美術館と同じ仕組みで様々な利用者に対応しなけれ
ばならない
• 一般の方にも日本美術への興味を深める
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14
４捜索を簡単にする（コルドゥラ・トライマー）
Simplyfy the search (Cordula Treimer)
基礎
Base
− 資料は素晴らしい
Great reasoures
− 興味深いプロジェクト
Interesting project
− やる気のある人は参加する
Enthusiastic people working on them
− MALUI
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16
献策
Suggestions
サーチ⼊⼒情報
Search Input
− 外国語でのサーチが簡単にできるようにインターフェ
イスを改善することで、利⽤者が増える。
Providing an easy search screen in other languages wi
ll lower the threshhold to the use of your resources.
− 優れた資料をもっとより多くの人々に公開し、利⽤を
促す。
Show what you have!
− 一つのアクセスポイントから、日本全体のデータベー
スにアクセスができるようなメタサーチシステムを作
ると最大限有効に活⽤する。
Unified accesspoints provide maximum search results.
− 漢字とローマ字表記はもちろんのこと、旧漢字や歴史
的仮名づかいを現代表記でも検索できるようにする
（マッピング）。
Mapping for kanji and romaji should be provided for ol
d kanji and kana usage.
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18
第3グループ
標準化ルール
Standardization
サーチ出⼒
Search output
− 統一したルールに従って、データベースを構築するこ
とで、データベース間のセッティングやフォーマット
の標準化により情報がより利⽤しやすくなる。
U
nified rules (minimal standard) for cataloquing, meta d
ata producion and data base content lower the barrier
between material groups.
− 世界中で情報にアクセスできるように、メタデータを
提供し、そこからそのトピックに関する研究機関を⾒
つけることができるようにする。
Providing worldwide access, at least to the meta data,
chanels researchers towards the insitutions working o
n the same topics.
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20
国際化
Internationalization
国際化
Internationalization
− 日本国内における日本美術史の研究でさえも、国際的
観点に⽴つことで、さらにその研究を深めることがで
きる（内容、形式、方式、宣伝等）。
Even Japanese art history on Japan can proffit from int
ernationalisation (concerning content, form, method, p
ublic relations, etc.).
− 国際雑誌、ソーシャルメディア、会議等に紹介して
る。
Present your resources and research internationally, i
n journals, social media and conferences.
− 得になると教える・日本語以外の⾔葉で。
Do good and talk about it – in more than Japanese.
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kvk.bibliothek.kit.edu/index.html?lang=en
http://europeana.eu/portal/collections/art-history
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第3グループ
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