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Case analysis of cultural appropriation
Example of cultural appropriation
Three examples of cultural appropriation
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Svetlana Alpers’ article begins with a personal anecdote about visiting the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge as a child. While there, she saw an extremely large crab preserved and set on display without context; the crab was “an object of interest” rather than a creature that had once lived. Alpers states that this is relevant because the display of that crab is typical of European museums in that they only display things that can be considered visually interesting and only items that look interesting, whether manmade or natural, make it into their exhibitions. This practice heavily influenced art historical canon because these interesting items were the ones that went on to inspire artists viewing those exhibitions in their own time …show more content…
The Museum Effect turns things of lesser value or artistic appeal to the source culture than was originally intended and gives them a perhaps inflated level of importance as art in our estimation. It is described in the article as a way of seeing, or lens through which something is viewed (ex: art historically, culturally, socially, etc.). Alpers describes TME as such because nearly all items in museums were meant to be seen or used in some other manner and thus much of the original context has been removed and cannot be recreated. The inflation of importance of objects derived from the lack of contextual information and the museum’s tendency to present all things aesthetically are the driving forces causing TME. Alpers suggests that by acknowledging that TME exists, the museum community and visitors can help negate its harmful …show more content…
An example of this can be found in the National Gallery in London, where the paintings of fourteenth through sixteenth century Italian masters were on display side by side. It was possible to gain some idea of what was considered beautiful and important by looking at the evolution and use of style, medium, and subjects over time. In some instances, it is possible to create context through presentation alone and Alpers argues that this is one of the benefits of TME; it allows the viewer to see and create the context for themselves rather than having it told to them, as in the traditional museum model. One way that museums have begun approaching this idea is to put all of the background and cultural information in different spaces than the exhibition material itself so as not to influence the viewer’s intake of the
In “Sacrality and Aura in the Museum: Mute Objects and Articulate Space,” Joan R. Branham argues about the experiences art viewers have in museums based on their surroundings. Her points include how a person is to completely understand and feel a ritual object if it is taken out of its natural context or how someone is able to fully appreciate of work of art if they can’t see it where it truly belongs.
The Getty was named after J. Paul Getty, who first started the museum in his house in 1954 which is now known as Getty Villa. The second location is the Getty Center that is located in Los Angeles was opened to the public on December 16, 1997. The Getty Villa was then closed for extensive renovations and then reopened to the public on January 28, 2006. The Getty Museum website says “The [permanent] collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty center includes pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts; 19th- and 20th-century American, European and Asian photographs; contemporary and modern sculpture; and Robert Irwin’s Central Garden, designed specifically for the Getty Center.
The River Severn, Alfred H. Vickers, Oil on Canvas, owned by they Amarillo Museum of Art given by Marilyn Seven and Ray Matney. The painting uses a luminism artistic style that is defined by “a 19th-century painting style emphasizing a unique clarity of light. . . . almost always landscapes or seascapes. . .” After reviewing Mr. Vickers’ other work, he is definitely a realist artist with many works that portray accurate size, color, and depictions of landscapes.
Duncan’s (1991) analysis of western museums is defined through the theme of “durable objects” as a criterion to judge the heritage of American and European art as a ritual of the modern state. In this manner western art museums are built like “temples” as a symbolic and figurative representation of greatness of western culture throughout the world: “[They] are more like the traditional ceremonial monuments that museum buildings often emulate—classical temples” (Duncan 90). This interpretation of American/European museums defines a dominant source of cultural heritage that ritualizes
Popularity of the Mona Lisa is perhaps tenuous because a psychological mechanism recognized as the “mere-exposure effect” has likely played a role in shaping cultural preference for paintings. According to Prof. Cutting from Cornell University, students are grown to like the paintings which they have seen more in experiments, and thus even unconscious familiarity breeds affection (Intelligent Life). The scientific experiment offers a clue as to how canons are formed. In the history, the preferences of wealthy and influential collectors bestowed prestige on certain works, which made the works more likely to be hung in galleries and printed in anthologies. “Scholars”, Cutting argues, “are no different from the public in the effects of mere
The “superstar” museum gained this status by considering every important detail during its establishment and initial phases of conversion from royal palace to museum (Gombault, 2002). As the purpose of the building changed, each room addressed new functions with new requirements. Although the function of the Louvre is different from the building’s original intention, the building is still appears dignified and important enough to display priceless artifacts and painting (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). This consideration was applied in designing the Met. The Met looked towards the South Kensington Museum (Victoria and Albert) and the “ideal role model” due to its extensive collections and international reputation (Heckscher, 1995). The Met found itself in a similar situation to the South Kensington, because it did not have a building or a collection to start with (Heckscher, 1995). When designing museums, architects strived to create monuments that “prepare and educate the mind of the visitor (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998).” Education is an essential function of a museum. Acquiring, preserving, and properly displaying materials, permits a museum to fulfill this duty (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). For instance, lighting is a factor that affects the manner in which artwork is viewed and can be properly appreciated. When determining the proper lighting for the Louvre, Comte d’Angiviller, strongly believed that natural, overhead lighting was the most effective solution (McClellan, 1994, p. 72). The same determination impacted the decision to add skylights at the Met. During the initial phase, architects Vaux and Mould, added skylights to the upper floor, and windows to the lower floor that provided a natural light solution (Heckscher, 1995). Additionally, glass-roofed courtyards provided “unimpeded light” for displaying
One pleasant afternoon, my classmates and I decided to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to begin on our museum assignment in world literature class. According to Houston Museum of Fine Art’s staff, MFAH considers as one of the largest museums in the nation and it contains many variety forms of art with more than several thousand years of unique history. Also, I have never been in a museum in a very long time especially as big as MFAH, and my experience about the museum was unique and pleasant. Although I have observed many great types and forms of art in the museum, there were few that interested me the most.
Georges Didi-Huberman is critical of the conventional approaches towards the study of art history. Didi-Huberman takes the view that art history is grounded in the primacy of knowledge, particularly in the vein of Kant, or what he calls a ‘spontaneous philosophy’. While art historians claim to be looking at images across the sweep of time, what they actually do might be described as a sort of forensics process, one in which they analyze, decode and deconstruct works of art in attempt to better understand the artist and purpose or expression. This paper will examine Didi-Huberman’s key claims in his book Confronting Images and apply his methodology to a still life painting by Juan Sánchez Cotán.
In traditional museums all the displays are behind glass and you are not allowed to touch anything. The items on display are often animals or artefacts are from very far away or have been donated by a wealthy collector. The displays are not changed very often. In more modern museums the displays are not only insect and animal from far away.
A museum gives us insight on the culture from an out standing point of view, and the things we are shown are supposed to be looked at from the outside. The people who decided what things to exhibit did not belong to that community saw it, and decided what they considered is different to what we are used to, and what we would be interested in learning from that. The display of things in a Museum are things that we look at as something that is outside from normal. In contrast to the movie or movies, where scenes substantially show how the person felt and dealt with situations and tools from their own perspective, with their own knowledge and experience and through different means such as real images, sounds, language and others produces a different knowledge on the racial discourse. When looking at exhibitions in museums the other culture is unknown, and almost uncomfortable to us, but in movies we can be standing in their
Art can be seen in every culture and country around the world in many different forms and styles. The only way to be able to see and experience different types and styles of art is to travel around the world and see it at museums. Unless a local museum features different artwork from around the world; there is a rare chance that a person may be able to appreciate different types of artwork from around the world. However, today’s technology has given more people a chance to appreciate art from around the world through virtual museums online.
Museum defines as an institution housing collections of objects of artistic, historic, or scientific interest conserved and displayed for the educational and enjoyment of the public. Museums are places of memory that provides the link of distant past to the present generation which also help the society to know the path their forebears trod. The main purpose of museum is neither to educate nor entertain but rather creates a memory bank would remind us of the past. No wonder most societies in different parts of the world traced their origin through the works of arts history. There are many types of museum includes museum of Antiquities-in which are housed ancient pieces of furniture or objects of art such as sculptures, paintings, ceramics, textiles and other crafts. Public record office museum serving as collection centre for famous documents, War museum containing relics of national wars, Maritime museum for maritime history, museum for architecture, with types, structures and styles of building, etc., Museum for Local/Indigenous Technologies, Science Museum, with objects depicting history of science and engineering and Natural History Museum. However, all types of these have their own roles of information institutions in national development. The main roles are to identify, acquire, preserve, and exhibit unique, collectible, or representative objects. The role of museum in the life of a nation involves conducting research into the vast natural history heritage and biodiversity of the country, serving as a repository, of natural objects, source materials and taxonomists in that country, creating scientific awareness, on natural history resources of the nation through annotated exhibitions for public enlightenment in display ga...
What is Museum Education? Museum Education is about educating the public about History, Science, Math, or English etc., but in an informal setting (not in a classroom or school). Museum Education is about immersing the students in the topic at hand. For example, a walking tour guide in downtown Frederick, MD places their tour group literally in front of the history they are teaching them. Similarly, a museum education intern reads the students a book like the Ox Cart Man then places them in a market that will teach them too how to trade and barter. Although, a museum educator does not get to be in the classroom with the students, like a general education teacher, they teach students meaningful lessons that they often remember. Lauren Allen
When first arriving at the museum it was an old styled, rustic, building that was not very modern, which I think fits into the theme of the museum. The outside of the building had history, similar to how the inside of museum is filled with a history. There was also an impressive statue of former president Theodore Roosevelt. I thought it was an interesting display, but Theodore Roosevelt was an advocate for the preservation of national parks and the conservation of animals, moreover, I thought it was a great tribute to him. I think the outside of the museum shows how rich the history of the world is and there is so much to learn. The past has been polished for the people of the present to understand and admire. Overall, I felt every exhibit was easy to understand and not intimidating; subsequently, it was easy for children and adults to look at.
In other words, my exhibit would showcase pieces of art that express life and how we live and experience it in some way, shape or form. Art pieces with cultural significance, deep meanings, or ones created by artist none for their deep personal turmoil that they expressed through their creations would be at the center of this exhibit. I picked this theme because not only is it a personal favorite, but I considered it to be a theme that produces some of the most beautiful and fascinating pieces of artwork. Since being in this class I’ve learned that in order to appreciate art fully, the audience must exposed to the context surround it. So I would have my exhibit be as dedicated to the “background story” surrounding the artwork as much as it would be to the art itself to help the audience appreciate it more completely. However, I would want to encourage people to find their own meaning within the art as much as I would want them to see the artist’s meaning, so I would keep the information about the art covered, and viewers could uncover the information and then compare their own interpretation with the