A letter to Emma Smith CBC: The Segregation of Art and Culture
Re: Emma Smith article Nov. 20th
Re: Protesting Viola Desmond’s protest.
Considering the response from the artist.
Why should artists mentally segregate themselves from issues
of racism because someone claims cultural ownership of a certain historical
event?
What message does that send to children of diverse ethnic
backgrounds that are being educated in the history and tradition of protest
art, who are learning how it adds value to their community dialogue, and may
want a better community where they live?
It could say “what’s the use,” and only expand an already
existing divide rather than help bridge that divide.
What seems to be missing from the recent article of November
20th is the art and the message - all of it strongly made through the spirit of
Viola Desmond. Perhaps social advocates of any ethnic background should be wary
of using the term “Cultural Appropriation” since the heated controversy at the
Whitney Biennial 2017, where artist Dana Schutz was denounced amid calls to see
her painting of Emmit Till removed from the exhibit and destroyed. Censorship
in art is likewise a controversial issue. Yet, like it or not, the curators did
not acquiesce and as a result the discourse regarding racism has become central
to the contemporary museum experience today.
Today, the term
“cultural appropriation” is embedded in racial discourse. Yet, no one owns
historical discourse. And it can’t be suppressed in art. When it is, it’s
called censorship. This may be the first time I can recall that the art of
Atlantic Canadian youth has been censored from future exhibitions because it
protested racism on all levels. To the many young aspiring students of art and
varied ethnic backgrounds that submitted their work, they must be wondering why
their protest art which calls for the end of racism is being protested as
cultural appropriation - and that they apparently have no stake in the freedom
of expression, let alone African Canadian history. It must be doubly confusing
for African Nova Scotians that may have made submissions to see their art
considered cultural appropriation.
Now that that’s happened, is it still possible to see the
contest and future art exhibitions celebrating the stand Viola Desmond took as
possible, rather than as merely the site of struggles for ownership of a
historical event and public discourse? How will this play out now that public
voting on the art has been suspended and future shows cancelled? It isn’t easy.
And what further message does it send to young artists when the mere mention of
the term cultural appropriation can suppress and silence their art and
vision?
What this project was really about was protest art and ideas -
and this celebration of Viola Desmond and ideas should be displayed and
contested and seen, It’s a place where conversations can happen if we can let
go of the struggle for power for even a brief spell and just consider what the
art is about, not just who owns the story, or the ethnicity of the artist. Many
of which are children and young adults who may very well be the future leaders
in our communities and help bridge the divide.
Postscript: Emma Smith and the CBC were not available for comment.
Steven Rhude Wolfville, NS
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