From:   MAILER%"[log in to unmask]"  "Patrick S. Golden" 30-NOV-1993 13:40
   :34.08
To:     MAILER%"[log in to unmask]"  "Steven R. Smith"
CC:
Subj:   RE: Living history
 
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Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 13:36:00 -0500 (EST)
From: "Patrick S. Golden" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: RE: Living history
In-reply-to: <[log in to unmask]>; from "Steven R. Smith" at
 Nov 29, 93 4:52 pm
To: "Steven R. Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
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According to Steven R. Smith:
>
>
> Patrick,
>
> Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you.  I have not yet figured
> out how to upload and send out text via the Internet.  As soon as I hear
> about publication dates and so forth, I'll let you know.
>
> My background has been in history and I have worked on a number of inter-
> pretive projects (both professionally and on my own), but I am now more
> involved in art curatorship.  I still maintain a keen interest, though,
> in historical interpretation.  When I was younger I participated in some
> living history activities, "re-enactments", etc. and this paper grew out
> of my ultimate dissatisfaction with the medium of live interpretation.  It's
> not that I think that 'living history' is not valid (on the contrary I think
> it is very exciting and has much potential) but much more thought needs to
> be given to how the medium is utilized.  Specifically I think we need to
> focus on 'living history' as a medium for communication -- what we hope to
> communicate and how we will communicate it.  Heretofore, it seems, much
> attention has been paid to elements of authenticity and setting, not of
> strategies of communication.  Further, I think we have grouped a wide variety
> of disparate activities under the heading of 'living history' which really
> need to be separated and evaluated according to their own merits.
>
> Any thoughts you have would be most welcome.
>
> Yours,
>
> **********************************************************************
> Steven R. Smith
> Art Collection                                      Tel: (617)495-3150
> Harvard Law School                                  FAX: (617)495-4449
> Cambridge, MA  02138                  E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> **********************************************************************
>
Steven -
 
Interesting thoughts with which I agree.
 
When I was in the "living history" field we tried to
concentrate on detail authenticity as well as effective
communication strategies.  Too often these are philosophical
differences (i.e. why do you have people dressed as Indians if
they are speaking English as a 20th century person, etc.)
 
I think you would get a lot of comment on this posting if you
sent it to the entire museum list.
<[log in to unmask]> Did you intend to or was it
just supposed to go to me.  I'd be interested in feedback to
this issue from others as well.
 
Patrick
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|++Patrick Golden++             |
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