Take a rare glimpse into Japan in the 1890s-1920s through the photographs taken by a Canadian missionary, John Cooper Robinson. We can only begin to understand Cooper Robinson’s photographs by overlaying both Canadian and Japanese historical contexts and perspectives. Join our symposium led by art historians and historians who specialize in Japan and Canada, to explore ways in which the Cooper Robinson photographs can be used and made relevant for future research and teaching. Symposium attendees will have the opportunity to visit the ongoing curated exhibit at Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC).

Double Exposure | Japan-Canada: Missionary Photographs of Meiji-Taisho Japan
Friday March 24, 12-4 p.m.
Lillooet Room, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (1961 East Mall) (map)

12:00-1:00  Registration and Reception (light refreshments will be provided)

1:00-1:15  Opening Remarks | Introduction (donor, Jill Robinson)

1:15-2:00  Allen Hockley (respondent, Ignacio Adriasola)

2:00-3:00   RBSC exhibit visit, coffee break

3:00-3:15    Hamish Ion

3:15-4:00    Round table discussion (facilitator, Tristan Grunow) | Concluding Remarks

Allen Hockley is Associate Professor of Art History at Dartmouth College. He specializes in early Japanese photography and woodblock prints and illustrated books from the Tokugawa through early Showa periods.

Hamish Ion is a Professor Emeritus in the History Department, Royal Military College of Canada. He is a specialist in modern Japanese history.

Ignacio Adriasola is Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History, Visual Art, and Theory at the University of British Columbia.

Tristan Grunow is Assistant Professor without review in the Department of History at the University of British Columbia.

The Asian Library and Rare Books and Special Collections and are delighted to host a symposium to launch our current exhibit Double Exposure | Japan-Canada: Missionary Photographs of Meiji-Taisho Japan

This event is made possible through generous support from the Center for Japanese Research, the UBC History Department, the UBC Library, and nominal support from the Consulate General of Japan.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Japnese Language Librarian Naoko Kato at naoko.kato@ubc.ca.