(Cross) cultural appropriation in the arts, 4

Think about this, though:  cultural appropriation, which is indeed a basis for much art, is a problem when it reduces the ability of some artists to get their (perhaps more authentic) work before and accepted by the broader public.  Quoting Lauren Michelle Jackson’s brief article “When We Talk About Cultural Appropriation, We Should Be Talking About Power”:    

[Most] discussions about appropriation have been limited to debates about freedom and choice, when [we] should be [dissecting] power.  The act of cultural transport is not in itself an ethical dilemma.  Appropriation can often be a means of social and political repair….  And yet.  When the powerful appropriate from the oppressed, society’s imbalances are exacerbated and inequalities prolonged.

Art production should certainly celebrate and question the influences on the artist:  how could it not? However, when the borrowing is from – and especially in – the voices, images, or styles of others, those others and their paths need to be acknowledged in ways that lead the listener, viewer, or reader to seek their work and their stories.

(Cross) cultural appropriation in the arts, 3

The arguments favoring versus condemning cross-cultural appropriation grow from very different conceptions of art, artists, and cultures.  Legal scholar Rosemary Coombe [1993] has identified two seemingly opposing bases for the defense of and arguments against intangible cross-cultural appropriation, which she calls “possessive individualism” versus “cultural essentialism.”  

  “Possessive individualism” is the Western Romantic ideal of the artist (writer, composer, choreographer) who takes all ideas to which “he” has been exposed, and through force of will, discernment, and creativity brings forth a new work.  If the work becomes highly regarded, it is a result of “his” genius.

                   “Cultural essentialism” implies that each person belongs to a single cultural tradition from which that person draws most of their identity or “voice,” and that the strength of their identity, the integrity of their voice, is diminished when others use elements of that tradition in their own voices.  It relies on the equally Romantic ideal of a homogeneous “people” or “culture” which jointly create and own artworks, stories, and styles. 

 There are important reasons why members of less-dominant groups (and I don’t necessarily mean ethnic minorities – this could pertain to women in our broader current culture) may use themes or styles from the dominant culture without causing harm.  The most fundamental is this:  The dominant culture is promulgated broadly – in some cases, has been forced on Native Americans and Australians, or on Africans brought to North America as slaves – and members of these less-dominant groups also belong to or “own” elements of the dominant culture.

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Coombe, R.J.  1993.  The properties of culture and the politics of possessing identity: Native claims in the cultural appropriation controversy.  Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence 6(2): 249-286.

(Cross) cultural appropriation in the arts, 2

Intangible cross-cultural appropriation refers to an artist’s use of “artistic elements” from another culture – style, motifs, plot, characters.  Generally, at least until the late 20th century, intangible cross-cultural appropriation was largely considered beneficial.  It disseminates styles, stories, motifs, and lessons from one culture to another, thereby increasing cross-cultural awareness and enriching the lives of everyone.  However, writers and observers have increasingly voiced concerns.

a) It can reinforce stereotypes about the origin culture:  valuing the artifacts or artistic elements because they evoke an imagined time, place, or circumstances of the origin “group,” rather than expressions of individuals or subgroups engaged in struggle and in change.  Members of any group or tradition desire to be represented as agents rather than passive observers or victims, and as part of a living tradition rather than a static, imaginary past.  Poor, long-suffering, ultimately tragic Cio Cio San.  Strong, long-suffering, noble Native Americans.

b)    It can literally enrich the producers within the destination culture.  Members of non-dominant groups may resent the commodification of their practices, words, styles, or stories by non-members, packaged for anyone who is willing to pay.

 c)     In the marketplace, appropriating minority cultures’ images, stories, characters, or styles can displace the artistic work produced by those within the minority culture – because writers, musicians, actors, painters from the majority have more acceptance by mainstream audiences and more access to mainstream distribution channels.  Consider the white anthropologist’s research career explicating the stories of other cultures, the white jazz or blues musician (especially in the first half of the 20th century), the already-famous and taste-making New York visual artist “discovering” themes and styles from other cultures. 

(Cross) Cultural appropriation in the arts, 1

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.