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This seminar (kenkyu-kai) focuses on the study of Imitation and Originality. Until the Golden age of Classicism, imitation of the traditional canon of classical masterpieces from Greece and Rome was considered an ideal art form. Such paradigm was valued as conducive to producing real literature /real artworks. However, from the end of the 18th century, with the rise of Romantism movement in France, the practice of “imitation” of traditional “chef-d’oeuvre” (masterpieces) gradually lost value. As a result of this ideological reversal, classical “imitation” gradually became regarded as evidence of lack of creativity and genius of artists. Instead, there was a shift of thinking that placed value on “originality and the new.” These became considered to be standard qualities that continue to be valued and emphasized in our time, in both cultural thinking and social practices. In addition, the constant pursuit of “originality and the new” led some artists towards a dimension where they sought to create a paradoxical originality, by using other peoples’ work in the form of citation, parody, plagiarism, collage, homage, ready-made, and others. Therefore, it has become necessary to re-think a definition of what constitutes “imitation and originality” in our time, and how such definition influences practices that are connected to cultural phenomena in modern society.
As a starting point, we are going to read and discuss a series of assigned texts. Participants in this seminar are expected to engage in in-class discussions, respond to assigned readings, select their theme of research, conduct individual research and deliver in-class presentations.