Authenticity is a nuance and multilayered concept, shaped by the perceptions of those who encounter the object or the experience as a phenomenon. Rather than being an inherent quality, authenticity is subjective – not defined by the object itself but instead, by the individuals or groups perceiving the object (Goulding and Derbais, 2019).
Goulding and Derbais (2019) identify three distinct subcategories of authenticity. The first, objectivist authenticity, relies on the validation of experts. The object is only considered to be genuine when said by authoritative figures in the relevant fields. The second, constructivist authenticity, argues that authenticity is socially constructed and is shaped through collective understanding. The third, essential authenticity, refers to being true to oneself and is further divided into intrapersonal and interpersonal forms. Intrapersonal authenticity reflects an individual’s experience of authenticity through feelings of pleasure in performing activities outside of norms, while interpersonal authenticity centers meaningful cultural exchanges within shared spaces. Together, these different categories support the layered and subjective nature of authenticity.
Discussion of authenticity is often involved with the concept of aura. For example, while not all authentic object are rare, rarity is also valued to the perception of authenticity and overlaps to the uniqueness of aura. Walter Benjamin’s (2002) rigid definition of aura emphasizes rarity and tradition and argues that authenticity stems from the historic rituals involved in the object. However, this strict definition of aura conflicts with the complexity of authenticity. In contrast, more recent literature challenges Benjamin’s (2002) definition by suggesting that aura – and, by extension, authenticity – lies in the personal, cultural, and psychological response of an individual or a group to the object or the experience (MacIntyre, Bolter & Gandy, 2004).
Creating a 3D model of the Penny Baby doll was an opportunity to think through the complexity of authenticity. While the attempt was to replicate the doll as closely as possible, the process opened the creators and the viewers to a feeling – something personal and emotionally resonant. Like an old memory from one’s childhood, the details of the doll’s worn features or measurements are not precisely those in real life. While the creators of this model brought a piece of cultural and emotional features to the tours, the viewer can reflect on the doll through their perception and experience of the object. This feeling resonates with the shaping of memory, cultural reference, and some sense of emotional logic, thereby reflecting a constructivist sense of authenticity. It also touches on intrapersonal (essential) authenticity by allowing spaces to reconnect with feelings beyond one’s norms.
In conclusion, authenticity is not a static nor an objective quality but a dynamic phenomenon informed by personal perception, cultural context, and emotional engagement, allowing a richer understanding of how authenticity is experienced and interpreted – exemplified by the process of the 3D model of the Penny Baby doll.