Cultural
Appropriation
roSIE vENNER
Contents
To what extent does the borrowing of other visual cultures result in the hollowing out of meaning?
Reference Images
Bibliography
‘Cultural adoption of rituals, aesthetic values and behaviour
appropriation’ refers to the
from one culture by another. It is a complex subject, as there is argument around whether some ‘appropriation’ is simply appreciation of the culture, or insensitive theft and a throwaway attitude towards traditions that are of great importance for the culture being appropriated. Visual cultures are appropriated everyday in film, literature, art, music, and design. In some cases, this process of cultural appropriation can occur without deep and factual understanding of why the original culture took part in these types of traditions and rituals. Commonly, religious symbolism can be taken out of context and brought into a more mainstream scenario, because the symbolism may seem aesthetically pleasing to those not part of the religion. This potential naivety to the origins of the cultural references can hollow the meaning, in particular with visual appropriation, which is generally based entirely on aesthetic rather than meaning. Although in many situations, appropriation can be a wonderful celebration of culture and therefore can enhance the meaning behind the tradition rather than hollow it out. Due to the colossal amount of creative influences- including illustrators, fine artists, graphic designers, and authors and musicians- no new artwork can be totally primal. Nicholas Bourriaud put this idea forward, when he stated that we cannot ‘produce singularity and meaning from the chaotic mass of objects, names, and references that constitute our daily life’ (Bourriaud, N. 2003. p.8). Therefore, here comes the idea that illustrators take advantage of what has already been achieved in this ‘chaotic mass’ and augmenting it to become the artists own work, but with cultural references- whether these references are intentional or not. In ways, this can hollow out the meaning of the visual culture being suggested. The artists themselves may not be aware of the culture they are influenced from, as this visual culture becomes, in many ways, part of our day to day and only noticed subconsciously as part of a ‘cultural chaos’ (Bourriaud, N. 2003. pg.7) .
Artists
of all types appropriate visual culture, from editorial illustrators to fine artists. Photographer Sanaa Hamid has taken a series of photographs- titled ‘Cultural Appropriation: A Discussion’- that explore the extent of cultural appropriation in everyday life, focussing mainly on the appropriation of cultural dress such as turbans (fig 1). In her images, for example when looking at bindis- a tradition of the Hindu culture- Hamid places an image of a Hindu woman wearing a bindi next to an image of a white British female wearing a bindi as a fashion statement, with the quote ‘I don’t understand what the problem is, I’m only appreciating the culture’ written below (fig 2). This imagery embodies the argument between appropriation and appreciation, as the wearer does not even understand why it could be inappropriate for her to borrow meaningful cultural symbolism. Hamid claims she is ‘not attacking those who appropriate, merely educating and creating awareness’ (Hamid, S. (n.d). She removes herself from her personal political and social status opinions to strip down to the main issue- ‘taking an item that means a great deal to somebody and altering it’ (Hamid, S. (n.d). This appropriation of cultural dress is seen mostly at summer festivals such as Coachella and Glastonbury, where some festivalgoers dress up with Native American or Indian headdresses and bindis as an attempt to look alternative with their costume. However, as reiterated by Sanaa Hamid’s exploration of the subject, people who are rooted in the Hindu and Native American culture can find this appropriation offensive. The borrowing of Native American headdresses, known as ‘feathered war bonnets’ (Native Languages. n.d) at festivals or as part of a dress up costume is an example of cultural appropriation that does hollow out the meaning from the original tradition. The headdress, typically made of bird feathers, is a very important part of Native American culture. The ‘war bonnets’ (Native Languages. (n.d), were supposedly worn first by the Sioux, and traditionally worn by the most powerful of the tribe, such as the chief. It is known that the headdresses were ‘not made in one sitting… each time the chief, warrior, or other important tribe member committed a brave act, a feather was added’ (Indians. (1995-2017). Therefore, the more feathers in the headdress, the more powerful and important the tribesman. Women did not participate in the making or wearing of the headdress; consequently it could be seen as hypocritical and inappropriate for contemporary women at festivals and parties to wear costume headdresses, as it totally detracts from the origins of the tradition. This borrowing of cultural dress as a variety of costume is first and foremost taking a meaningful cultural tradition and completely hollowing its meaning, being worn by someone who does not understand or perhaps even care for the tradition. This is not dissimilar to how we see artists take visual culture and alter it to change the meaning, by mixing the alternate cultures with their own.
is huge debate amongst creative people a there Magazine highlighted this argument when they stated
means or how it differentiates from cultural exchange there is difficulty in deciphering whether the borrowin interchanging traditions and rituals between cultures accurate visual representation of the debate, by usin cultural dress of a bindi and headpiece, beside a blue h 3). The bold and flat colours of the faces and backgro en are wearing, which in comparison have more textu painted with regal colours, implying superiority over t personal opinion coming through- making the blue h accessories quite unsuitable and meaningless. The no dress of the Hindu woman, which brings the questio way? All artists and creative types appropriate from from somewhere. Whether it has come from apprecia their own practices, or from the society and culture th folklore and myths. Illustrator Katy Horan takes inspira costume history, folklore, fantasy, and all things spook She claims to ‘rearrange these fragments of imagery drawings’ (Horan, K. n.d). In this process, Horan explor spinsterhood to classic ghost stories and the archetyp mysterious and strange female figures, depicting the lore from around the world. Through Horan’s use of o spired clothing, Horan’s ‘Lady Monsters’ take the obse
as to whether appropriation is acceptable or not. Fem that ‘not many understand what cultural appropriation e’ (Malham, M. Fem Magazine. 2016.). In other words, ng of visual culture is appropriation or unintentionally s. Artist Jennifer Dodge illustrated this article with an ng the contrast between a Hindu woman wearing her haired festivalgoer wearing a non-traditional bindi (fig ound draw the attention to the accessories the womure and warmth. Notably, the Hindu woman has been the blue haired girl. This may be a hint of the artist’s haired girl in her illustration look insignificant and her on-Hindu girl has clearly been inspired by the cultural on- is it okay to appropriate cultures in such a casual different cultures, and have all taken their influences ating other artist’s work whilst exploring and adapting hat surrounds them and their cultural history, such as ation for her work mainly from her interests in ‘female ky.’ (Horan, K. Rothman, J. and Davis, V. (2011) pg.78). and information to create paintings, illustrations and res a collection of curiosities that range from ‘Victorian pal witch figure’ (Horan, K. n.d). Her creations become e submissive and dominant roles women play in folkopaque and overlapping gouache shapes and doily inerver into a world full of mythologies and dark fantasy.
‘Noble Lady’ (fig 4) (Horan, K. (2011) pg. 5) implies the feHoran’s male form, but recreates it to become an eerie and disjointed but intriguing figure. The illustration epitomises all Horan claims to be inspired by, with the crooked limbs and dark shapes embodying the stereotype of peculiar and twisted folk tales, whilst still implying a somewhat accurate representation of 1850’s costume dress. This style is repeated throughout Horan’s body of work, even wringing into projects other than her ‘Lady Monsters’, such as her works from ‘Keep Your Arms from Going Astray’ (fig 5) where a similar style and concept can be seen, but enriched even more by the use of layering string, tissue paper, and gouache to create more texture in the dresses. Through all of this, it is clear how Katy Horan’s borrowing of other visual cultures enhances their original meaning by giving the ancient Russian folklore solid and inventive imagery, rather than just being fabrications of the listener’s imagination. This form of appropriation is more a celebration of the different cultures she is inspired by, proven more so by Horan’s willingness to admit her own inspirations.
Appropriation of visual culture does not end here, s we see from celebrations and holidays around the world that even original folktales have even been adopted by many cultures globally. Folklore is a form of expressive culture, usually shared by word of mouth. It embodies the traditions common within cultures, subcultures and groups, and is therefore a necessary component to any social group. The tales usually imply certain irrationality as in many cases there are strong beliefs in the supernatural, such as ghosts, demons, fairies and spirits. These eerie themes are what make the stories so tellable. They are gripping and the creatures the listener imagines are strange, intriguing and exciting. However, the actual folklore traditions become less and less meaningful throughout the centuries, as they stray away from the original meanings. For example, millions across the world celebrate the annual tradition of Halloween, in particular throughout Ireland, where it was supposedly first celebrated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It is said that ‘Celts believed that on the night before the New Year, (2000 years ago New Year started on 1st November rather that 1st January) the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of 31st October they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.’ (History.com Staff. 2009). On this night, people would traditionally come together, light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. This folklore has been adopted by a huge amount of the population- particularly in the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America- and it’s Celtic roots are almost forgotten, as it has become more of a holiday and children dress up in costumes and go door to door trick or treating as a new form of celebration. Through this extreme and widespread form of cultural appropriation, it is clear how a culture can be tainted when taken out of context. Halloween today still holds similar meaning and concepts, for example the use of costumes and the telling of ghost stories. However, the ancient Celtic folklore has been mostly forgotten, and therefore the meaning has been hollowed significantly.
Visual
appropriation first and foremost suggests the borrowing of imagery, objects and clothing from different cultures. Therefore, it is commonly the adoption of patterns, shapes and designs. One example of this is the borrowing of mandala designs. Mandalas were originally a form of Hindu or Buddhist ritual, being used and created for improving focus and concentration, for the making of a sacred space, and as help with meditation and spiritual guidance. Each line of a mandala holds a different meaning, built up to create intricate and multi-layered works of art. For example, the circle is a ‘graphic symbol of the universe’ (Merriam Webster, n.d), which links back to the Buddhist belief that everything in the universe comes back around, such as their belief in reincarnation after death. Appropriation of this ancient tradition has led to the term ‘mandala’ being used to describe any repetitive circular pattern. However, the true meaning of a mandala is ‘a circle enclosing a square with a deity on each side that is used chiefly as an aid to meditation’ (Merriam Webster, n.d). This can be seen in ‘fig 6,7’ (Ness, K. (2013) where each side of the mandala has a god or goddess symbolising different aspects of the Buddhist religion. Therefore, for Buddhists and Hindus the mandala is a sacred thing, and is thought of as a great importance because of its therapeutic qualities when drawn, painted or carved. However, because of the beauty and mesmerising detail a mandala has, it has been borrowed by other cultures for use as embroidery and print on clothing. High-street brands such as NewLook have even begun to sell items of clothing with mandala inspired designs on them, more often than not unknown to the buyer that the design means a lot more than an aesthetically pleasing pattern. Although some people may still associate the mandala with its origins, the way it has become something of a fashion statement has hollowed the original meaning significantly.
Furthermore,Indian henna designs known as mehndi have also been brought into
other cultures. Henna is a deep part of Indian and West African cultures, and is especially significant for Hindu and Muslim women in India, as the mehndi designs are applied to a brides hands and feet in the mehndi ceremony- the night before they are to be married. The bride will get a very elaborate and detailed design made up of flowers and patterns, while the groom will often get a simple token design. The importance of this tradition is signified by the fact that ‘application of Mehndi is a custom during any celebration in India, be it Karva Chaut, Teej, Diwali, Ramzan or any other festival’.
p However, eople from other cultures and nation-
alities around the globe have begun to incorporate the designs into their celebration as well, with ‘Henna Stalls’ popping up at festivals and events offering designs for hands and feet for a small fee. Artist Rachel Goldman makes a living by creating henna designs (fig 8). Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Goldman’s fascination with henna may seem out of place. However, the artist discovered henna whilst travelling in Morocco and decided to explore the art of henna and mehndi designs further. Known by her followers as Bella Henna, Goldman’s designs ‘reflect influences ranging from West African patterns to collograph printmaking to sacred geometry mathematics’ (Goldman, R. 2012). Clearly, this borrowing of alternative cultures takes away from the original meanings and therefore hollows them, however this is not a negative thing as Goldman is primarily celebrating the ancient traditions of henna and mehndi designs. Mehndi designs have also been incorporated into real tattoo designs, which is currently a fashion trend within the tattooing industry. Therefore, although other cultures are only showing their appreciation to the ritual, they are still appropriating an ancient tradition and thus hollowing the meaning of the visual culture. However, this appropriation is not necessarily a negative thing, as the phrase goes, ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ (Colton, C.C. (1894) p.144). Contemporary belief is that ‘there’s absolutely nothing wrong with artwork created by modern artists who take inspiration from the look of ancient religious symbols and adapts them to modern times’ (Mandalas for the Soul. (2016). Coincidently, as long as the appropriation is tasteful and not making a caricature of a tradition, there is no reason why the designs should not be taken out of their original and symbolic context and brought into the modern day.
Throughout t he creative spectrum, appropriation of visual culture cannot be avoided. Artists follow other artists, musicians follow musicians and storytellers follow other storytellers, forever being inspired and enthused by the work of others around them. Along the line, the original meaning behind the traditions can be temporarily forgotten or pushed to one side. Nevertheless, more often than not the appropriation is unintended to offend the original culture, and therefore should be seen as flattering. Appropriation of visual culture has enabled different parts of the world to experience the celebrated rituals and traditions of all types of cultures, far and wide, making the beliefs and values of different religions accessible to everyone. Thus conclusively, as long as the appropriation is intended in a positive way, this appropriation of visual culture should not be seen as a hollowing out of meaning, but rather enjoyed as a celebration of the wonderful and vast variation of cultures around the world.
Referance Images Figure 1
Sanaa Hamid http://sanaahamid.com/Cultural-Appropriation-A-Conversation
Figure 2
Sanaa Hamid http://sanaahamid.com/Cultural-Appropriation-A-Conversation
Figure 3
Jenny Dodge http://femmagazine. com/2016/11/07/femi-
Figure 4
Katy Horan http://www.katyart.com/lady-monsters/8c20kbrmlhna268cv3japuogxw8pe4
Figure 5
Katy Horan http://www.katyart.com/keepyour-arms/d3zv4cbk6nrnkc3uscx5f463en497l
Figure 6
Original Mandala http://blog.sunflowerteeth.com/ancient-mandalas-dream-catchers/
Figure 7
Original Mandala http://blog.sunflowerteeth.com/ancient-mandalas-dream-catchers/
Figure 8
Rachel Goldman http://www.bellahenna.com/intro/
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