Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts. EVA 2012 Florence

The key aim of this Event is to provide a forum for the user, supplier and scientific research communities to meet and exchange experiences, ideas and plans in the wide area of Culture & Technology. Participants receive up to date news on new EC and international arts computing & telecommunications initiatives as well as on Projects in the visual arts field, in archaeology and history. Working Groups and new Projects are promoted. Scientific and technical demonstrations are presented

Cultural Tourism in Mauritius From Rhetoric to Reality

This conceptual paper builds on the assertion that though there is a dire need to revisit the traditional tourist attractions of Mauritius in order to increase earnings offset seasonality of beach tourism and boost up competitiveness and attractiveness of the destination not much headway has been made to diversify the country s tourism sector through the development of cultural tourism It is proven that this type of tourism not only attracts high-spending visitors to a host country but also helps consolidate its arts and culture sector Albeit the fact that there has been a rich rhetoric as regards the necessity for a convergence of arts and culture and tourism in Mauritius very few concrete actions have been undertaken so far Based on a combination of theories of marketing and psychology the author under takes a review of the relevant literature enumerates the main rhetoric pertaining to cultural tourism in Mauritius as stated in the official documents of the country and through critical thinking and reflective analysis puts forth a conceptual model and some action-oriented proposals on how cultural tourism could be realised concretely in this country together with their justifications The author also brushes over the main obstacles that could be impeding this kind of touris

INVESTIGATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF HISTORIC SITE INTERPRETATION CENTERS TO MEANING-MAKING: THE CASE OF BAHRAIN

This dissertation investigates the role and contribution of the Historic Site Interpretation Centers in the process of meaning-making from the historic site to the visitors, as well as their visiting experience and attendance at the same settings. The Historic Site Interpretation Centers exhibit a unique museum typology dedicated to sites of historical significance, offering a dual-mode of interpretation, labeled as ‘in situ’ and ‘in context’. The objective was to evaluate the physical attributes and applied display strategies in conveying meaning from historic sites to visitors and, to explore the resulting stakeholders’ (i.e. service providers and visitors) perception and emotional experience in these dual settings. Hence, a convergent mixed method of multiple case-study analysis was used to evaluate the given settings’ physical attributes, and multi-ethnographic tools inclusive of archival documents, online survey, semi-structured open-ended interviews, and non-obtrusive observation were used to explore the stakeholders’ perception and emotional experience. Four historical sites in Bahrain were selected: Qal’at Al Bahrain, Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort, Bu Maher Fort, and Al Khamis Mosque. The findings suggest that visitation interest and meaning-making are primarily affected by first, a range of different contextual relationships between the Historic Site Interpretation Centers and their historic sites, building physical attributes, and display strategies. Second, visitors’ interests and expectations are the main trigger for visitation, while their cultural background and collective memory are recognized as influential factors in the process of meaning-making. The difficulty in creating meaning-making may reside in a single or a combination of factors: a rigid de-contextualization of objects, an architectural design of the interpretive center insensitive to the particularities of the location, presentation strategies ineffective enough to generate a disinterest among visitors. Undoubtedly, the present situation of historic sites in Bahrain affiliates itself to the ever-present debate on the philosophical groundings of Critical Regionalism from its generation in the early 80s of the last century to its present and undeniable actuality and force. This research acknowledges the original reasons and ideological perspective behind its inception and the contemporary critical readings of the same text in the light of new economic, environmental, political concerns and design challenges. While understanding some of the concerns and challenges that drove architectural production since the concept was coined, this research’s intention is to remain close to the essence of Critical Regionalism, which is to effectively understand the importance of a context while designing appropriate structures easily interpreted by visitors, and capable to generate coherent meaning-making within a specific setting. Finally, a new classification of museums is suggested on the basis of contextual relationships to the historic site and the involvement of dual modes of interpretation - ‘in situ’ and ‘in context’ - in order to overcome the existing dichotomy in the contribution and role of such museums. In addition, this study’s ambition is to provide some design and curatorship directions for architects, museographers, and policymakers in Bahrain and beyond

INVESTIGATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF HISTORIC SITE INTERPRETATION CENTERS TO MEANING MAKING: THE CASE OF BAHRAIN

This dissertation investigates the role and contribution of the Historic Site Interpretation Centers in the process of meaning-making from the historic site to the visitors, as well as their visiting experience and attendance at the same settings. The Historic Site Interpretation Centers exhibit a unique museum typology dedicated to sites of historical significance, offering a dual mode of interpretation, labeled as ‘in situ’ and ‘in context’. The objective was to evaluate the physical attributes and applied display strategies in conveying meaning from historic sites to visitors and, to explore the resulting stakeholders’ (i.e. service providers and visitors) perception and emotional experience in these dual settings. Hence, a convergent mixed method of multiple case-study analysis was used to evaluate the given settings’ physical attributes, and multi-ethnographic tools inclusive of archival documents, online survey, semi-structured open-ended interviews, and non-obtrusive observation were used to explore the stakeholders’ perception and emotional experience. Four historical sites in Bahrain were selected: Qal’at Al Bahrain, Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort, Bu Maher Fort and Al Khamis Mosque. The findings suggest that visitation interest and meaning-making are primarily affected by first, a range of different contextual relationships between the Historic Site Interpretation Centers and their historic sites, building physical attributes and display strategies. Second, visitors’ interests and expectations are the main trigger for visitation, while their cultural background and collective memory are recognized as influential factors in the process of meaning-making. The difficulty in creating meaning-making may reside in a single or a combination of factors: a rigid de-contextualization of objects, an architectural design of the interpretive center insensitive to the particularities of the location, presentation strategies ineffective enough to generate a disinterest among visitors. Undoubtedly, the present situation of historic sites in Bahrain affiliates itself to the ever-present debate on the philosophical groundings of Critical Regionalism from its generation in the early 80s of the last century to its present and undeniable actuality and force. This research acknowledges the original reasons and ideological perspective behind its inception and the contemporary critical readings of the same text in the light of new economic, environmental, political concerns and design challenges. While understanding some of the concerns and challenges that drove architectural production since the concept was coined, this research’s intention is to remain close to the essence of Critical Regionalism, which is to effectively understand the importance of a context while designing appropriate structures easily interpreted by visitors, and capable to generate coherent meaning-making within a specific setting. Finally, a new classification of museums is suggested on the basis of contextual relationships to the historic site and the involvement of dual modes of interpretation - ‘in situ’ and ‘in context’ - in order to overcome the existing dichotomy in the contribution and role of such museums. In addition, this study’s ambition is to provide some design and curatorship directions for architects, museographers, and policymakers in Bahrain and beyond

The power of immersive technologies: a sociopsychological analysis of the relationship between immersive environments, storytelling, sentiment, and the impact on user experience

This dissertation initially focused on exploring the potential of immersive technologies for the distant future. However, the emergence of the COVID-19 virus in late 2019 disrupted the world, causing a pause in many areas. Nevertheless, the butterfly effect of the pandemic spurred the development of immersive technologies, resulting in the rise of the metaverse, web3, non-fungible tokens (NFT), and avatars, which are gaining increasing popularity. The excitement for the metaverse is growing in both academia and industry, leading to new avenues of research, digital marketing, video games, tourism, and social media. This dissertation explores this rapidly emerging technological revolution and its effects on user experience (UX)

Realizing consumers’ existential dreams via product marketing and mixed reality: a perspective based on affective neuroscience theories

In an era of swift societal changes and escalating consumerism, this paper presents an exploration of an innovative approach that integrates product marketing strategies, mixed reality (MR) technology, and affective neuroscience theories to actualize consumers’ existential dreams. MR, with its unique capacity to blend the virtual and real worlds, can enhance the consumer experience by creating immersive, personalized environments that resonate with consumers’ existential aspirations. Insights from affective neuroscience, specifically the brain’s processing of emotions, guide the development of emotionally engaging marketing strategies, which strengthen the connection between consumers, products, and brands. These integrated strategies not only present a novel blueprint for companies to deepen consumer engagement but also promise more fulfilling and meaningful consumer experiences. Moreover, this approach contributes to societal well-being and prosperity, marking a significant stride in the field of marketing

The Routledge Handbook of Museums, Media and Communication

Museums today find themselves within a mediatised society, where everyday life is conducted in a data-full and technology-rich context. In fact, museums are themselves mediatised: they present a uniquely media-centred environment, in which communicative media is a constitutive property of their organisation and of the visitor experience. The Routledge Handbook of Museums, Media and Communication explores what it means to take mediated communication as a key concept for museum studies and as a sensitising lens for media-related museum practice on the ground. Including contributions from experts around the world, this original and innovative Handbook shares a nuanced and precise understanding of media, media concepts and media terminology, rehearsing new locations for writing on museum media and giving voice to new subject alignments. As a whole, the volume breaks new ground by reframing mediated museum communication as a resource for an inclusive understanding of current museum developments. The Routledge Handbook of Museums, Media and Communication will appeal to both students and scholars, as well as to practitioners involved in the visioning, design and delivery of mediated communication in the museum. It teaches us not just how to study museums, but how to go about being a museum in today’s world

Introduction to location-based mobile learning

[About the book] The report follows on from a 2-day workshop funded by the STELLAR Network of Excellence as part of their 2009 Alpine Rendez-Vous workshop series and is edited by Elizabeth Brown with a foreword from Mike Sharples. Contributors have provided examples of innovative and exciting research projects and practical applications for mobile learning in a location-sensitive setting, including the sharing of good practice and the key findings that have resulted from this work. There is also a debate about whether location-based and contextual learning results in shallower learning strategies and a section detailing the future challenges for location-based learning