UMS Reaction Paper- Art Theft is Art

Art Theft is Art

Artistic appropriation is as old as art itself. Indeed, one may argue that they are one in the same—appropriation being inextricably woven into the genealogical fabric of artistic evolution. It is only with the rise and fall of high modernism and the subsequent emergence of postmodernism that the practices of pastiche and referential explicitness (now, artistic merits in their own right) have, with a looming malignance, threatened the established bourgeois pretentions of cultural elitism that are now manifest in the argument against appropriation. Almost nowhere is this lineage more apparent than through the phenomenon of intertextuality. Through a brief survey of intertexual practices, we can see how, in a culture wherein appropriation is part of the artistic process, it is ultimately a work’s form that determines its authenticity.
The development of art would not have been possible without artists’ appropriation of the work and ideas of their predecessors. Picasso’s celebrated Les Demoiselles D’Avignon derives its aesthetic from African decorative masks. William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury borrows its title from a soliloquy in Macbeth. Appropriation can range from the incorporation of specific works to entire cultures. Indeed, the orientalist tendency in Western classical music is responsible for compositions ranging from Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 to Ravel’s Bolero. Even Western Philosophy, must be understood in terms of elaborations on or reactions against historical strand thought. Art is indeed appropriation, incorporation and consequent synthesis of existing ideas and modes of expression.
When modernism came into cultural prominence, it represented a myriad interests of the emerging avant-garde, among which included the refusal of aesthetic norms handed down from the bourgeoisie. Ironically, modernism itself embodied an elitist spirit insofar that its defining characteristic as a high-art movement rested upon a vehement rejection of mass culture (Lethem, 2007). As modernism gave way to postmodernism, many of the former’s defining aesthetic practices remained the same (Storey, 1998, pp.345). However, as the societal conditions that once fostered modernism’s elitist privilege changed (largely due to the exponential rise of mass culture and consumerism and later, the increasing coexistence and mutual incorporation between mass culture and contemporary art), proponents of the modernist cultural elite found themselves with increasingly less evidence to validate their argument of a high/low cultural divide—which is
one of the main premises underlying the argument against artistic appropriation. This phenomenon can be seen through the evolution of collage and pastiche from modernism to postmodernism.
In modernism we have the analytical cubist works of Picasso and Braques; in the photomontage and cut and paste poems of the Dadaists and the readymade sculptures of the Surrealists; and literary works such as T.S. Eliot’s monumental The Wasteland, whichis referential to the point that it necessitates an accompanying index; all of which employ a semiotic play of artistic signs and signifiers through the disruption of traditional contextualization. By the same token, postmodernism ushered in a number of art forms, myriad in their constitution—many to the point of being virtually indefinable. Some more concrete examples are pop art, Hip-hop, the music video and video montage, and of course, literary works like Helene Hegemann’s Axolotl Roadkill. The difference to acknowledge is that, whereas prior to postmodernity, the appropriative artist was veiled behind a façade of pedantic elitism in an effort to shock and destroy convention, now it seems the
artist’s object is to blatantly acknowledge and even celebrate his influences—ironically, achieving the same ends. This is problematic for those artists who still opt to claim the increasingly-antiquated credits to total originality.
The poststructuralist theory of intertextuality states that no single text exists as an isolated work or idea but rather that its structure is determined by an innumerable and synchronic textual structures preceding it. (Kristeva, 1980). The conclusion is that the idea of a completely original authorship is a false construction. Taking this into account we can make observations of artistic creation based the premise that a work is validated not so much through the ideas it expresses, but rather the form through which its expresses them. For example, Homer’s Odyssey surfaces in James Joyce’s Ulysses; a millennia’s worth of artists have reprised the Crucifixion; rock music deviates from rock and roll which took from the blues and its limited yet invertible archetypal forms (Lethem, 2007): these and all the aforementioned express a commonality of ideas that stretch across multiple cultural landscapes but it is the way the
individual artists expresses them—the form trough which they are expressed—that gives them uniqueness and authenticity.
Through Hegemann’s declaration: “There is no such thing as originality anyway, just authenticity,” we can trace John Donne’s quote, “All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated”(Donne, 1987). Ultimately, as art evolves, the clichés that state nothing is new prove to be increasingly true. Nevertheless, (to pay service to yet one last cliché) it is not so much what you say but how you say it.

Bibliography


Chandler, D. (2003). Semiotics for Beginners. Retrieved fromPrifysgol Aberystwyth University, Program on Film and Television Studies: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem09.html

Clark, L. (2006). Postmodernism: a Greater Understanding. Retrieved from Washington State University, Program on Digital Technology and Culture web site: http://www.wsu.edu/~lauren_clark/pomo.html

Huyssen, A. (1986). After the Great Divide: Modernism, Mass Culture, Postmodernism. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Kristeva, J. (1980). Desire in Language: a Semiotic Approach to Literature and Art. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

Lethem, J. (2007). The Ecstasy of Influence: a Plagiarism. Harper’s Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/02/0081387

Raspa, A. & Donne, J. (1987). Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. New York: Oxford University Press, US.

Still, J. & Worton, M. (1991). Intertextuality: Theories and Practices. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Storey, J. (1998). Cultural theory and Popular Culture: a Reader. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall.

Abstracts Assignment

Abstract 1: Terrorism, Public Relations and Propaganda (2006) by Nancy Snow

In Terrorism, Public Relations and Propaganda, Nancy Snow examines the elusive concept of public diplomacy and how it relates to the American narrative, American foreign relations and subsequently, anti-American sentiment. As evidenced by various documents such as the Smith-Mundt Act, Snow illustrates just how indistinguishable the numerous definitions of public diplomacy are from that of propaganda to elucidate how to varying degrees, all governments exercise a certain level of influence and discretion in order to maintain a certain image of themselves among their own citizens and around the world. According to Snow, the Unites States’ particular brand of public diplomacy is ineffective at best, if not dubious. She reveals how the politics of exceptionalism and denial underlay the euphemistic pretenses of public diplomacy as she suggests how its presumed objective of global communication and mutual understanding is compromised by the very methods employed by its practitioners—namely through a superficial, public relations-style marketing approach of America: The Product, as opposed to engaging in any serious attempts to bridging cultural gaps. Ultimately Snow contends that any real change through public diplomacy must be executed through the agency of ordinary people with “citizen diplomacy and international exchanges” (p.157), and looks optimistically to global communication as a tool to enhance inter-cultural understanding at a period in history when it could not be more imperative to do so.


Abstract 2: Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera and Middle East Politics Today. Mark Lynch (2006). New York, NY: Columbia University Press.


In Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera and Middle East Politics Today, Marc Lynch postulates how modern technology and global communication have revolutionized public opinion in the Arabic World to such an extent that the Arabic States’ ability to engineer and sustain the illusion of unanimous public consent is being undermined. Consequently, States and political leaders are having to adhere to an unprecedented level of accountability for their policies and actions as this serge of information and communication technologies provides a platform for a plurality of voices and opinions—long repressed in region wherein democracy does not thrive. Ultimately, Lynch interprets this as the New Arab Public which, provided the right conditions, may or may not usher in a new era in Arab politics. The main problem to be addressed, however, is that of mobilization. For, as rich in potential for democratic action the new Arab public is, it currently has no vehicle through which it may actualize its ideas, as totalitarian and autocratic States still preside. Lynch insists that if the New Public is to bear any fruitful democratic progress whatever, the United States must desist in its unfounded suspicions and begin to engage with the New Public’s composite, clashing voices—unified in the cry for change and to be heard. Thus, studies such as Lynch’s play an indispensible role in the quest to encourage intercultural dialogue and understanding.

Intellectual Autobiography: Fatima's Map

My love and fascination with the Media world and all things media related began in my home country of Saudi Arabia and eventually ended up in New York City. I was born in Jeddah, a cosmoplitan city situated by the historical and alluring Red Sea. I was fortunate to have been bought up in a tight knit and supportive family who believed in my goals and aspiration right from the start. My family's full backing only made it easier for me to navigate the not so easy arena called the Media World.


Since my late teens i had found my cheif calling in Journalism and never looked back. I was hired as an Assistant Reporter for Arab News, a daily English newspaper in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The enviornment was encouraging and productive, and it was there that i met one the most influential people of my life, and now personal mentor. Mr. Khaled Al Maeena was and still is the Editor-in-cheif of the newspaper and he took me under his wing and had enough faith in me at a time where i wasnt sure if i was cut out for this proffession. He pushed me to excell and almost always gave me the toughest and most grueling of assignments. He taught me the concept of work ethic, punctuality, and multi-tasking (a trait i have become more appreciative of, but never did back then).



He had patience for a rookie, and in the Media's cut throat Industry, rookies for the most part are marginalized untill they adapt, but Mr. Al Maeen's mentality and approach was unlike anyone elses. He personally showed me the ins and out of the newspaper; from news writing and reporting, to copyediting, layout and production. I managed to publish several articles during my time at Arab News. Heres a sample of one article in particular:http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=27685&d=20&m=6&y=2003

I also developed close ties with other aspiring female journalist. We would have heated discussion on various topics, but one topic we unanimously agreed on was that certain segments in Saudi society (including women) show an unsympathetic attitude towards Saudi female journalists and media advocates. This unfortunate attitude is caused by a lack of awareness and underestimationof the important role that women play as mediators, especially on women's and Human Rights issues. On my part, i intend on working to make sure that this current attitude does not turn into a long-term reality. That is why i aspire to become a pioneering Saudi female journalist; not only am i passionate about writing and reporting on important issues, but i also want to be part of the wave of inspiring women helping to dispel the negative and oftentime misleading stereotypes surrounding Saudi women globally.

To say that Media Industry is powerful is a true understatement, and with levels and positions of power comes a moral obligation and huge responsibilities on the people involved in it. After graduating from Boston's Simmons College with a Bachelors in Communications and Journalism, i went on to pursue a position as Human Rights Advisor at the Saudi Arabian Mission to the United Nations in New York City. I became the youngest Saudi female in the U.S to be give the opportunity to represent my country's stance on key issues infront of the entire Global community at the General Assembley Hall. I realized with my current positon the power that Media outlets have in shaping and reshaping our views of the world. This is not to say that i wasnt aware of media power, but to witness its extension globally was even more baffling when i entered the United Nations arena. My interests and advocay are primarily in areas of children in conflict, poverty, violence against women, sex trafficking, raising awareness of Islam and Muslim contribution to World Civilization, and increasing global representation of Saudi youth (especially young girls).

It was at the United Nations where i also met another inspirational person, Dr. Thoraya Obaid. She is the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund and Under-Secretary General of the United Nation. Mrs. Obaid was appointed to her position on 1 January 2001, with the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. Thus, becoming the first Saudi Arabian to head a United Nations agency."Throughout her career, Ms Obaid has emphasized the importance of development that emerges from the context of each society, taking into consideration the cultural values and religious beliefs that shape people and affect their actions. As UNFPA Executive Director, she has introduced a special focus on culture and religion in the Fund’s development work, thereby linking universal of human rights to values of the human worth promoted by all religions and found in all cultures". I admire her philosophy and respect for human rights regardless of religion, gender, culture..etc, and its precisely what i try to adopt in all my endevours, personal or career wise.

In the midst of my United Nations position, i decided to pursue a Masters Degree in order to elevate my ranking and climb up the Government ladder. I looked into the New School's Media Studies program for several reason. The most important being the need to utilize the media and its tools to bring much needed attension to issues that i have been working on with my current position. I was also attracted to the avant garde and anti traditionalist undertones of the New School, which makes it the ideal place to study Media theory and application. I prefer the non conservative approach to Media, since nothing about the path that i have chosen for myself is conservative by any means, therefore, my education should be equal in this retrospect and The New School represents that for me, which reminds me of another great influence in my approach to media, the creative genius that is Tim Burton. Most people would never guess that Burton is someone i would gravitate towards due to my interests in the political and social aspects of Media and Media advocay, but he is someone i see as an "envelope pusher" and continues to mesmerize his audiences with his fantastical and wildly imaginative body of work that defies categorization. I'm a huge fan of his work and admire his distinction in a sea full of "sameness".

I have many "envelope pushing" dreams i wish to turn to reality. But by far my ultimate goal would have to be establishing a female- run news agency in Saudi Arabia, which would focus on the news and media from a female perspective, and address the issues and concerns of Saudi women. The agency would also provide a training program for qualified and aspiring Saudi female journalists and media advocates to further hone their skills in the field. My main objective is to help elevate the status of Saudi women and encourage them to take risks and pursue their dreams in the Media industry, and with a supportive family, inspirational mentors and influences, a rewarding postion and schooling, i have all the reasons to be optimistic for the future ahead of me.


Work and Image cited



Image 1: courtsey of www. saudigov.com

Image 2: courtsey of www. jeddahtourism.com

Image 3: courtsey of www. arabnews.com

Image 4: courtsey of www.arabnews.com

Image 5: courtsey of www.un.org

Image 6: courtsey of www.un.org

"Thoraya Obaid", UNFPA. http://www.unfpa.org/about/report/2003/1ch3pg.htm. Web. 25 February. 2010

Introduction

Hello, my name is Fatima Ageel. im originally from Saudi Arabia, but have been living and working in New York City for the past five years as representative of my Government at the United Nations on key Human Rights issues. I have a B.A in Journalism and Media Communications. Im looking to explore the route of Media Theory and Practice and eventually apply what im learning from the graduate program in order to elevate my ranking within my Government and contribute effectively. Hopefully this blog will be maintained well long after the New School and be used as a platform for future publications.