 |
| Bridging cultural gaps would not be possible without translation... in its multiple forms. |
There are a few places where translation in the broader sense is a permanent and ongoing effort and necessity, the interpretation and contextualization of historical object is a "transitional" and layered process beyond aesthetics and form vs. function factor. Museums may be one of those space-time jinxes! Now put all that into perspective in an out-of-the-box experience right here on this screen... Nice to see some paintings, decorative arts and national treasures, but what's beyond the looks? What to tell about the route and history of an exotic piece? One of the last projects I found myself immersed into was the translation of the contents for the Google Art Project presence of the Dionísio Pinheiro and Alice Cardoso Pinheiro Foundation, based in Águeda, a small-to-medium-sized Portuguese city.
This almost unnoticed museum lodges a vast collection with unique pieces in Oriental ceramics, Portuguese and European paintings, pottery and silverware, not to mention French Boulle furniture from different periods and a "lost" collection of drawings by a Dutch master... and so on and so on... In case you are in Portugal or visiting check their Facebook page right here to check their events and timetable.
And it is good to mention it was the second Portuguese museum to be invited to feature a selection of pieces, 50, but more will follow. The museum's page on Google Art Project was made available on 25 September 2013.
