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Elmira College Students Explore the Beauty of Japan in Elmira

Elmira, NY (06/22/2021) — Students in Mark Pitner's Term III course, Introduction to Museum Studies, spent the term exploring the history of a genre of Japanese print art called Shin Hanga or "New Print," that was most active from 1912 to 1950.

The culmination of the students' work was an exhibition of prints from the Elmira College art collection as well as from local collectors. The students produced all aspects of the exhibition from public relations to education, from curation to installation.

"I believe this class offers a rich and exciting cultural engagement to understanding Japanese art," said Casey Killigrew '23. "It also allows students to truly become hands on and experience what it means to build an exhibition and the creativity behind it."

"This class was an interesting experience because of the hands-on work with the prints," added Simon Rice '24. "Learning about all the work that goes into museum exhibits and how to care for such fragile pieces of history now adds a layer to the experience of every museum I go to."

The course further examined the history of museums and their role in modern society through readings and site visits. The intent of the dual perspective is to introduce students to the concerns and forms of professional museum work, as well as developing critical skills for understanding the role of museums and how museum spaces function as historical and social phenomena.

"This exhibition has taught me to look at Japanese woodblock prints from many angles," said Jenna Cowder '22, an art and anthropology/sociology double major. "When I look at them I still appreciate them for their beauty but now I also think about the teamwork and social context of each print. My understanding of the intersection of art and academia has been furthered, which makes me stare at each print a bit longer. My hope is that no matter what someone's background or interests are, they will find an aspect of the prints that speaks to them."

Pitner, an associate professor of Asian history, has taught the course for several years and appreciates what the students glean from the course.

"I want to congratulate the students on their very successful exhibition," said Pitner. "Every year I am blown away by the effort that the students are willing to invest in this course and the variety of skills that each student comes to the course with. These skills are the building blocks for a successful exhibition, however museum work is intrinsically collaborative and only successful when each participant pushes themselves to learn new skills."

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Students in Mark Pitner’s Term III course, Introduction to Museums Studies, spent the term exploring the history of a genre of Japanese print art called Shin Hanga or “New Print,” that was most active from 1912 to 1950.