Let art help us build bridges

  • By Janine Reep
  • Thursday, February 22, 2018 11:25am
  • Opinion

I was away for the weekend and was shocked and disheartened to read about the exclusion of a strikingly beautiful entry from the Sunday Wearable Arts Exhibition, because it incorporated Japanese themes and symbols and the non-Japanese artist was accused of “cultural appropriation.”

I was shocked because Juneau prides itself on supporting the arts. Art is generally defined as the expression of human creative skill and imagination in the production of works that are appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

Art, in its many forms, has always had the power to transcend borders and build bridges between people and cultures in a universal language. As I understood the message from the news article, art is subject to political censorship — which I believe contributes only to building walls between peoples and bolstering division.

The new rules suggested by the article leave us with the troubling question as to who, ultimately is to be the judge of what is permissible or not? What person or entity is entitled to decide who is going to be able to utilize what images? Would the Wearable Arts entry have been permissible if the artist was born in Japan? Or is it only required that she be of Japanese descent? But, if so, of what percentage? Does she need to have a Japanese mother or father? Or grandparents? Does she need both? Was she raised in a culturally sensitive Japanese home? Should she have contacted actual citizens from Japan for permission?

Or, to me, the saddest conclusion of all — is she just forever foreclosed from employing Japanese motifs and designs (which are internationally admired and embraced) because she is of the wrong ethnicity? This result contributes to building walls and division in our world instead of embracing connections

My father, Edward Reep, earned a living as a professional artist. He painted many pictures that embraced different cultures — although always clearly in his own style. One that comes to mind is a powerful picture of a strong black man who was intended to be emblematic of the scourge of slavery in our country. Perhaps my father had no right to portray that slave, as he, himself, was not African-American. Similar to the Wearable Arts artist, my father admired Japanese art and painted some lovely tributes to Asian artists and sometimes utilized Japanese motifs in his paintings. I suppose that also should not have been allowed. After one of his visits to Alaska he painted an “Alaskan” series, and one quite lovely abstract watercolor actually incorporates a totemic image. Apparently, there are those that believe this was wrong.

I see no end to this. I, myself am a descendant of grandparents born in Russia, Ireland, Lithuania and England. Does that mean my artwork, and perhaps dance and poetry must be limited to symbols and references to those countries? Perhaps I should be objecting to the “Russian” dancers in Juneau and Sitka — that are not of Russian heritage. Why should they be allowed to “appropriate” Russian dances?

There is a great deal to fear about going down this road. Censoring freedom of expression is tragic, in my view. No one should steal another’s work, or use special creations without permission. But the Wearable Arts piece appeared to be a beautiful expression of art that didn’t promote stereotypes; it represented some beautiful images, drawn from the thousands of images that are in the public domain. Must the creativity of filmmakers, poets, playwrights, musicians and visual artists be constrained to the subject matter that can be linked only to their own genetic makeup?

Let “the people” judge art, on its merits, as always. Let each decide what appeals to them … what is “appropriate” or not. Censoring art is wrong —creative expression should be open to each and every human being and not decided by politics.


• Janine Reep resides in Douglas.


More in Opinion

Web
Have something to say?

Here’s how to add your voice to the conversation.

President Donald Trump and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy pose for a photo aboard Air Force One during a stopover at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage in 2019. (Sheila Craighead / White House photo)
Opinion: Dunleavy has the prerequisite incompetence to work for Trump

On Tuesday it appeared that Gov. Mike Dunleavy was going to be… Continue reading

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many Louisiana homes were rebuilt with the living space on the second story, with garage space below, to try to protect the home from future flooding. (Infrogmation of New Orleans via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA)
Misperceptions stand in way of disaster survivors wanting to rebuild safer, more sustainable homes

As Florida and the Southeast begin recovering from 2024’s destructive hurricanes, many… Continue reading

The F/V Liberty, captained by Trenton Clark, fishes the Pacific near Metlakatla on Aug. 20, 2024. (Ash Adams/The New York Times)
My Turn: Charting a course toward seafood independence for Alaska’s vulnerable food systems

As a commercial fisherman based in Sitka and the executive director of… Continue reading

People watch a broadcast of Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, delivering a speech at Times Square in New York, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (Graham Dickie/The New York Times)
Opinion: The Democratic Party’s failure of imagination

Aside from not being a lifelong Republican like Peter Wehner, the sentiment… Continue reading

A steady procession of vehicles and students arrives at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé before the start of the new school year on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Let’s consider tightening cell phones restrictions in Juneau schools

A recent uptick in student fights on and off campus has Juneau… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: Alaskans are smart, can see the advantages of RCV and open primaries

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that neither endorses… Continue reading

(Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
10 reasons to put country above party labels in election

Like many of you I grew up during an era when people… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letters: Vote no on ballot measure 2 for the future of Alaska

The idea that ranked choice voting (RCV) is confusing is a red… Continue reading

A map shows state-by-state results of aggregate polls for U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump (red) and Kamala Harris (blue), with states too close to call in grey, as of Oct. 29. (Wikimedia Commons map)
Opinion: The silent Republican Party betrayal

On Monday night, Donald Trump reported that two Pennsylvania counties had received… Continue reading

(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
My Turn: Election presents stark contrasts

This election, both at the state and federal level, presents a choice… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: Supporting ranked choice voting is the honest choice

Some folks are really up in arms about the increased freedom afforded… Continue reading