The emergence of digital technology has had an immeasurable impact on society. Reproduction using VR, AR and other technologies as media also appear more frequently in museum exhibitions, which has also aroused many people's doubts about the "authenticity" of museums. In "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction", Benjamin believes that reproduction lacks the authenticity, tradition and culture of the original, and its value is far less than that of the original. Therefore, this research mainly explores several questions: How do people view the relationship between reproduction and the original? What are the differences between audiences' perceptions and experiences of the original compared to their experiences of VR or AR-mediated reproduction? Can VR or AR-mediated reproduction enhance appreciation and understanding of the original? This study takes the "Flying Mythological Horses" installation in the Hong Kong Palace Museum as a case and collects data from 20 visitors based on observation and semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, this study found that most respondents agree that reproduction is the re-creation and re-interpretation of the original. Although reproduction does not replace the original, it does provide visitors with more opportunities for "dialogue." Finally, the experience based on the reproduction is more diversified, which is beneficial for visitors to understand the original from different angles and protects the museum's "authenticity."

Authors:
Shengwei Chen, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Shengwei Chen is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher. He is interested in the museum, new media installation and audiences’ field, which results from his previous series of museum-based new media art practices.

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