Souvenir authenticity in the additive manufacturing age

Anastasiadou, Constantia; Vettese, Samantha

Abstract

The expansion of additive manufacturing or 3D printing as a novel (re)production method disrupts social consumption patterns and challenges existing conceptualisations of tourist souvenirs as material, metonymic and symbolic objects that often lack authenticity. The paper evidences how using additive manufacturing to involve visitors in souvenir design decisions in a heritage site may influence their perceptions of souvenir authenticity and value. The transience between physical states (physical object to scanned digital file to physical object again), and the opportunity for visitors to self-craft or contribute to the (re)production process adds a performative element to souvenir consumption that imbues the 3D printed souvenir with its own authenticity and aura. As 3D printers become more ubiquitous, they will redefine further souvenir materiality.

Citation

Anastasiadou, C., & Vettese, S. (2021). Souvenir authenticity in the additive manufacturing age. Annals of Tourism Research, 89, Article 103188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103188

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 14, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 8, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Deposit Date: Mar 25, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 9, 2023
• Print ISSN: 0160-7383
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 89
• Article Number: 103188
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103188
• Keywords: Authenticity; Souvenir; Materiality; Aura; 3D printing; Authentication; Digital fabrication
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2755676