Nationwide, Japan possesses an extensive range of cultural property. While experiencing upheavals such as mass vandalism in the 19th century and World War II, the management of cultural heritage preservation has been established and further enhanced with a strong desire to pass cultural heritage on to the current generation.
With an awareness of the key elements of Japanese culture; geographical, demographical, societal characteristics, this lecture outlines management of cultural heritage preservation, chiefly arts and crafts, focusing on the measures by central government such as legislation and a system of designation.
Against the impenetrable notion of “importance” interpreted by the government, the session will appraise the issues around operation of heritage preservation. How is this system likely to be relevant to the future in Japan?
Yuki Russell studied for a MA in Conservation for Cultural Property specialising in Painting Conservation at Tokyo University of the Arts. During and after the initial degree in conservation, she was trained in a private conservation workshop for Japanese scroll paintings. After working at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, she gained a second MA in Conservation of Fine Art specialising in Works of Art on Paper at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, UK. Since 2008, she has been working within the Norfolk Record Office at the Archive Centre. She is a member of The International Instiitte for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) and The Japan Society of the Conservation for Cultural Property (JSCC).
Organised by Dr Lan Pu and Dr Sujatha Meegama, Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Senior Lecturer in Buddhist Art History, The Courtauld, in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society, and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Art and Culture
