In the wake of recent accusations of racism and misuse of others’ cultures, I must ask: “Are pale-skinned peoples the only ones who appropriate cultures?” Faces and their cultures were mentioned by a Juneau activist as being misused. Yet, “whiteface” was not mentioned. I have to follow these first thoughts with another: “Is it possible for a person of any color to draw ideas and enjoyment from those of other skin tones without being considered racist?”
As I read the accusatory words written in anger and pain about a piece of art called “costume”, I think about an art piece depicting rape in the same show in 2017. It was cheered, applauded and praised, and maybe that is because there was no one single woman of any particular skin color as designer or model, and maybe that is because of the man that piece was directed at. Still, why is depicting an ugly rape more acceptable in an art show than adoring colors and motifs and ideas from a culture that an artist may not be able to call their own heritage?
I don’t know where the inspiration for the piece in mention originated, but does it matter where the ideas came from if the goal was to make and share something beautiful? After all, sharing and showing something as ugly as rape was cheered, shouldn’t sharing a “costume” be afforded more understanding than anger and removal from the show? Art shouldn’t be about skin color, it should be about taking each piece, their ideas and origins, one at a time.
Greg Sullivan,
Juneau