Yu Tsukada | "5th Anniversary Exhibition: The Vienna World Exposition and the Ainu Collection" (Part 2)
This article discusses the second part of the Ainu National Museum's 5th-anniversary exhibition, focusing on the forced relocation of Karafuto Ainu and post-colonial contexts.Summary
This article is a review of the second part of the 5th-anniversary exhibition, "The Vienna World Exposition and the Ainu Collection," held at the National Ainu Museum. The exhibition materials reveal that during the data collection for the World Exposition, pioneers traveled to Karafuto (Sakhalin), acquiring materials from various ethnic groups, including the Karafuto Ainu and Nivkh. However, following the 1875 Treaty of Saint Petersburg, the Karafuto Ainu and other Chishima Ainu were forcibly relocated, alongside assimilation policies through education. The author notes that while the term "forced relocation" was used in the national facility's exhibition, the presentation was somewhat mild. Nevertheless, the comprehensive introduction of these infringements demonstrates the organizers' ethical stance. Citing Homi K. Bhabha, the author distinguishes between artworks marked by the memory of "destruction and conquest" and antiques that have gained continuity through the "convention of presentation." The author concludes that by juxtaposing the tools used daily by the Ainu with the image of the "nation" once envisioned by Japan, a thoroughly post-colonial situation emerges.
(Source：artscape)