Takie Okumura's Lantern Slides from the University of Hawai'i Asia Collection
September 1, 2009-December 31, 2009
Location: Elevator Gallery
Over a century ago, magic lantern technology was a new visual medium that fascinated the young and old and stimulated their interests and imaginations. New digital technology has resurrected these century-old images so that they may provoke our curiosity about the past.
Hamilton Library's magic lantern slides have been well preserved and secured by the Preservation Department for many years. The first survey was documented in 1996 by a graduate student as part of a cataloging project. With the help of Dr. John Stephan, a professor in history, the subject matters were partially identified at that time. Although it was clear that the slides came from "Asia, most likely from Japan," the origin and background of the nearly 1,000 lantern slides remained a mystery. The glass slides were then secured in the Library's Special Collection until a new Japan Specialist Librarian was appointed in 1999. As part of research on the history of the UHM Japan Collection, records were discovered in the UH Archives & Manuscripts in 2007, which finally shed light on their origin.
The digitized images show for the first time in years the detailed information on slides. The fact that the slides were made and collected by a prominent figure in Hawaii history make them worthy of further study.
This exhibit was made possible because of the help provided by the following people:
- Teri Leigh Skillman-Kashyap, Events Planner for the UH Libraries
- Hector Agustin, Art Designer
- Camryn Bonaficio, Art Designer
- Lynn Davis, Preservation Department
- Phyllis Wilhoite-Nakasone, Preservation Department
- Lantern Slides Digital Project Team
- Kyle Sasaoka & Quillon Arkenstone, UHM students
- Tomoko Mochihara & Eriko Drick, UHM alumna
- The Rev. Saku Kuroda, Makiki Christian Church
- Professor Fusa Nakagawa, Okumura Takie Association, Kochi, Japan, Author of "From Tosa to Hawaii: the footsteps of Takie Okumura"
- Tokiko Y. Bazzell, Japan Specialist Librarian Exhibit Curator
Special appreciation goes to Lynn Davis and Bron Solyom, who inspired the research.
