5/4/2017 Log (2 lectures)
Der Papālagi (the white man)
5 April
This lecture has been a serious realization point for me, very useful to my research and project!!
Native of Samoa, samoan mom but Japanese dad, identifies as ‘globalised samoan’
First started in fashion design so often uses fashion in her art work. Forms of dress and and identity.
Interdisciplinary artist
Got 2 German people living in Samoa to wear full Samoan clothing/outfit in public places in Samoa. The film was then publicly played on repeat for a week. It was in TV3 news in Samoa. It is a response to a white man writing about Samoa and the artist got the impression he wanted to be Samoan (Eric sheurmann)
Graphicmaps.com
1900-1940 Germans living in Samoa, Samoans put in zoos ‘Völkerschau’ product of colonization, German public watching the indigenous people in a fenced area.
Naturalism - 1919-1933 social movement sweeping through Germany. Vegan and nudist.
Using the naturalist movement as a way to bring attention to indigenous people living in touch with nature - not savage
Book: Tuiavii’s way - Book: Der Papalagi by Erich Scheurmann
The book went undercover when Hitler rose
Primitive and naturalist art and books had to be hidden.
Cultural appropriation and aprichiation
Were they mocking or celebrating the culture (the Germans wearing samoan traditional regalia)
Papalagi - those who burst out of the sky. (White people) when the Samoans first saw the white man coming on the boat they didn't know where they came from so they could have come from the sky.
Critique: wearing cerimonial regalia in urban area, respose: how is it different to wearing it while entertaining tourists.
Critique: how can white people wear it, response: they have been living there for over 24 years why are they not considered samoan?
Mark adams
Cultural appropriation
Not seeking approval but have to be aware of audience.
Difference that Samoa has indigenous majority in population vs NZ where Maori is a minority
Capitilaising culture
Face the critism, not out there to make everybody happy
Make art to talk to people, shock the, find and make reaction the take responsibility for it.
Study of a samoan savage series…. Look it up! Guy dressed up as maui
Dr Josta Heyligers
Learning advisor from Student Learning services
1st of 4 workshops designed to help with the essay
The research writing process
Who is the audience?
How am I going to use my readings and reflections,
show evidence of planning,
use engaging and sophisticated style
Reference correctly
Carefully presented, edited and proofread
Say how links are made
Activity one on the given worksheet:
Essay question: critically discuss multiple selections of the reading done within your research process, including reflection on the role of this inquiry in your art practice.
When you talk about your research it can help you understand and also motivate you, give you guidelines on what you know and need to know.
Challenges: can be quite broad and become confusing, time management - work on it continously,
Continue your personal development as an active and reflective researcher and thinker, able to inform and position your artwork through a critical approach with working with words.
Prep for your writing early
Allow yourself to write messy to get all ideas and ‘raw ingredients’ out
Know what is expected - talk to supervisor
Toronto assignment calculator will give you steps and time to do it in steps. Keep you on track.
When reading make sure it is relevant, important, how it relates to me as an artist my thinking and work, how it applies to other things I've read, what ideas I can apply, how does it affect or strengthen my work.
Describe, assess (look for argument and you can agree or disagree), discuss, relate.
Only read what is worth your time and effort
Know what you know and don't know so you know what to research.
Use critical and creative thinking skills
Order your reading so it flows and is easier to handle and navigate
Assumption analysis, what are the societal and cultural etc practices, do they challenge?
Contextual awareness, realising our assumptions are created in a specific historical, social and cultural context.
Imaginative speculation, alternative ways of thinking and acting
Reflective skepticism, questioning universal claims
Where to start:
journaling: write often to improve skills, preserve memories and ideas, makes you a better observer
Brainstorming
Free writing (list on the hand out of prompts and questions that can start it). I feel like this is the best way to start an essay in my own view while discussing other opinions without over using quotes or paraphrase from all the texts that I have read!
