(Cross) Cultural appropriation in the arts, 1 by JW Harrington

In today’s common usage, the phrase “cultural appropriation” usually refers to cross-cultural appropriation, rather than artistic appropriation between actors or artists within a culture.  I’ll adopt the prefix “cross” rather than “inter,” following the distinctions drawn among (a) multi-, (b) cross-, and (c) inter-cultural relationships:  (a) cultures existing alongside one another, (b) interactions across cultures, and (c) deep engagement and understanding among members of each culture [Spring Institute 2020].

Let me distinguish arguments against cross-cultural appropriation of physical objects, with much credit to philosopher and media-studies specialist Elizabeth Burns Coleman [2005]. 

a)     People have the right to possess collectively those artifacts that define, protect, or promote their cultural and historical identities.

b)    Nations and national governments, as the institutional representatives of a people, have the right and responsibility to possess institutionally those artifacts that define, protect, or promote their cultural and historical identities.

c)     Individuals and national governments have the right to artifacts that were taken or purchased during war or colonial occupation.

d)    Cultural artifacts are best appreciated in their cultural and geographic contexts – not as displaced objects.

 

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Coleman, E.B.  2005.  Cultural appropriation.  Ch. 2 in Aboriginal Art, Identity and Appropriation.  Aldershot:  Ashgate.

"Twixt Cup and Lip" at Gallery 110 by JW Harrington

From Wednesday 5 February through Saturday 29 February, Seattle’s Gallery 110  (110 Third Ave. S) features its annual juried show.  This year’s show is “twixt cup and lip,” which was an oft-repeated phrase by my mother’s mother, and the reason I often catch myself saying “I’m going to…” and change it to “I plan to…”

Amanda Donnan, curator at the Frye Art Museum, served as the juror for the show, which includes one of my pieces, The Impossibility of Knowing (17) . Gallery 110 also has a few of my small paintings on wood panels.

The gallery is open Thursday - Saturday from 11AM - 6PM. See the show during Pioneer Square’s First Thursday Artwalk on 6 February, or join me there from 5-7PM on 7 February, for a reception and prize announcements! Free parking is available on both nights.

 

Works at UW Tower by JW Harrington

Just after New Year’s, I delivered 19 paintings to the University of Washington Tower (4333 Brooklyn Avenue NE, the main administrative building) in Seattle’s University District: 13 in The Impossibility of Knowing series and 6 paintings on 12”x 12” panels. Facilities staffers Alfonso Escobar and Hector Pardo did a great job of hanging them; we all had a good time in the process. (I have a good time any time someone else does the hanging.) Jennafur Williams, chair of the Tower’s art committee, has been really helpful throughout.

The paintings are up through March; on Wednesday 22 January, I’ll be there for a reception from 4:30 - 6:30pm. In anticipation of that, Peter N. Kelley of UW News interviewed me and published a fun piece in our University press.

Hope some of you can see the show!

Brighter Future by JW Harrington

“Brighter Future,” an art exhibit at ARTS at King Street Station (Seattle) provided lots of thought-provoking pieces by artists of color. Two of my Impossibility of Knowing paintings were accepted into this exhibit, which showed November 2019 through mid-January 2020. Thank you to Seattle’s Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery for organizing the exhibit and to the dedicated and super-friendly staff of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture for providing marketing and technical expertise.

Brighter Future — to be heard, to be seen, to be free.