Exploring the use of an entertainment device in a time of trauma. A longitudinal approach to communicating the story of an Emperor in exile and the role of material culture in everyday life

Sobers, Shawn

Abstract

This talk will explore a long-running project that has evolved slowly, revealing different stages of how the project will be revealed over a long period of time. The Emperor in question is Haile Selassie I, and the material culture in question is a pianola, (a self-playing piano). Sobers explores how the Emperor and his family used the pianola at Fairfield House, Bath, during the time they lived there in exile, 1936 – 1943 (dates inclusive of all family members).

The talk will discuss different iterations of the project, which utilises Small Anthropology methodology, and discuss the most recent output, the production of an illustrated book which tells the story in an accessible way. Other outputs discussed include a BBC radio documentary, the production of a film, and live performances in Fairfield House itself. Sobers discusses the challenges of how to manage a long-running multi-disciplinary project, and keeping track of impacts and meanings.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: London School of Economics (LSE) Anthropology Speaker Series
• Start Date: Nov 29, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 11, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 12, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: anthropology, small anthropology, pianola, haile selassie
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13524415