October 01, 2008

posted by Susan Scafidi

But if the cultural “owners” of this fertility symbol object to its commercialization, there should be some forum for their concern.

Do you mean a forum for expressing concern (like a newspaper or a blog), or do you mean some way for these so-called owners of symbols to coerce the rest of the world into respecting their claims?

"But what about damages for the desecration of the sacred images that had been trodden underfoot?"

...if you have any ideas on how to get damages for such desecrations, please pass them on. I can see Christians everywhere participating in a class action against our government for financing the "Piss Christ"

A friend who used to work for the U.N. once introduced me to the most useful concept of "constructive vagueness," as in, "In order to reach agreement that there is an issue to be addressed, your memo should employ more constructive vagueness in dictating a solution."

This, anonymously "Skeptical," was the reasoning behind the deliberate choice of the word "forum." Unless you and I agree that careless commercial desecration and commercial exploitation of a religious symbol of a relatively less powerful cultural group is problematic, then we can't possibly agree on a solution. Since you've asked, however, I would entertain a range of possible fora ranging from courts that could apply VERY carefully drafted legislation (see post -- a difficult option) to bodies that would facilitate mediation to media outlets capable of exerting social pressure. When Gaultier sent female models styled as Hasidic Jewish men and wearing concentration camp-like striped outfits down his runway, social disapprobation and editorial criticism (both effective within his millieu) followed. When Lagerfeld sent Claudia Schiffer down the runway wearing a bustier embroidered with bits of Arabic that turned out to be from the Koran, both designer and model reportedly received death threats -- not an ideal way to resolve an issue.

Notice, however, that I said "careless commercial desecration." I'm glad that MD Conservatarian brought up Serrano's "Piss Christ," which came to my mind as well when I wrote the post. Setting aside the huge question of public funding for private artistic points of view, there's a difference between deliberately offensive actions intended to express a message and thoughtless but harmful actions intended to make a profit. In the case of the former, no amount of mediation would be likely to achieve a resolution, and media attention would only make the situation worse from the perspective of the parties whose cultural symbols had been appropriated. Too tough a line to draw? Well, we seem to manage with political speech and commercial speech, however clumsily.

In another way, however, "Piss Christ" is inapposite. Serrano was raised Catholic and is making a statement about his own cultural heritage (and mine, actually). This is not a case of cultural appropriation with colonialist overtones; it's a case of filial rebellion. I certainly won't be bidding on a print at auction, but with (allegedly) Voltaire, I will defend his right to say whatever it is he has to say -- using his own cultural products.

awesome post & pic! I am looking forward to reading your posts this month. Miriam

I guess part of my problem with this whole discussion is that I don't accept that anyone/group/ethnicity etc. "owns" cultural products. (and if they do, when did the Greeks and Romans "lose" the mythological characters?) Once it is out there, it belongs to all...and generally speaking nobody has any responsibility to seek out so-called owners for approval.

admittedley though, my approach won't lead to lawsuits or grievance committees, so ...