Yu-Chun, KAO
National Palace Museum
Taiwan, Taipei
Yu-Chun, Kao is an assistant researcher of National Palace Museum, Taiwan. Having background in history and museum studies. She has worked in the field of museums and digital interpretation as a curator and educator, and gained a wide variety of experience internationally: in Taiwan, UK and Hong Kong, since 2015. Her main research interest is to find out how and why digital intervention can increase Museum public relations through project practice and daily audience research.
Representing the Sacred in Museum Spaces: Through Digital Technology and Social Engagement
Religious cultural remains are the products of religious activities. People have different definitions of sacred and profane. Moreover, the dynamics of interaction between objects, communities and museums differ. The aim of the study is to investigate how museums, often perceived as bastions of reason and enlightenment, in the presentation of religious themes and artifacts. It particularly focuses on the influence and capabilities wielded by museums in this regard. For example, museums use interpretation and exhibition technology to guide the public to observe and experience religious objects/concepts and promote the appropriate interactive behavior. In addition, the new sensory experiences of digital installations can both demystify objects and convey their sacredness.
Within the framework of promoting public participation and encouraging participants to recall memories, express emotions, reaffirm beliefs, reflect on past practices, and interact with communities and objects, the paper demonstrates three exhibitions that use new media in a comprehensive way. The paper employs case study methodology utilizing exhibition analysis and audience research, and applies comparative analysis to explore the design and digital techniques of three exhibitions using wide-ranging new media technologies, including the special exhibition "Mountains, Seas, Sky: My Nature" at the Museum of World Religions and "Buddhist Maritime Silk Road - New Media Art Exhibition" held by the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, and the "Taoist New Media Art Exhibition" jointly organized by the National Palace Museum and the National Public Information Library. Based on the research findings, recommendations were made to museums on how to use digital/non-digital exhibition designs to represent religious objects/concepts not only as evidence of past worship, artwork or narrative objects, but also as sacred entities, providing directions for further development.
Religious display, Digital evolution, Culturally Sensitive, Transdisciplinary curation, Social engagement