Protesters upset at non-Japanese trying on kimono at the MFA

except to annoy the neighbors: Marty wasn't even home at the time.

Lout Americans are at the bottom of my planetary "like" list.

Head to Europe, and I'll bet that Lout Britons travelling the Continent will bottom us.

But, hey, one of the signature moves of the Lout American is to make sexist and ageist slams at people based on their physical appearance.

No, sir, I don't know anything about the particular couple in general. And I cast no aspersions on them. Yet there could be people who try the kimono on in ignorance, since there is little to no education on it. As I have already said. Which probably makes you a troll.

I can only tell you that this kimono-wearing event at the MFA made me feel uncomfortable. And I doubt I'm alone.

The MFA isn't offering any understanding of this kimono. They have no explanation of it, except that Parisians loved Japanese things back then, and that Monet's wife modeled it for him, and see how heavy it feels to wear. Not very informative.

Instead of educating, they only invite people to try it on and to be photographed. Thus the criticism.

Thanks, lbb.

I don't think this was described as racism, but as cultural appropriation -- which it is.

My interpretation of the young man's sign: he's saying that by trying on the kimono, the way the Parisians did, is to act like them. Which again, in his interpretation, is that the Parisians were racist and imperialistic. Which I have argued, is somewhat true. France was a colonial power in Asia at this time. Japanese things were liked, but respecting actual "Orientals" and their nations, maybe not so much.

On the other point, again, I have to emphasize I don't "own" anything. When I see elements of Asian culture that could be used in ignorance, it concerns me. It concerned the protesters even more. I have already stated that most Asians in America have a shared experience, of living in this country and often being seen as outsiders, even after several generations in this country.

See Takaki's Strangers from a Different Shore if you want to understand more about the shared Asian American experience: http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Different-Shore-History-Americans/dp/031.... It's the seminal work in Asian American Studies. Shared experience leads to shared concerns.

You don't like the protesters' methods, okay. But it got your attention, which was their first goal. If you read their Facebook, they want to have dialogue with the curators and museum goers. And to educate them on why this invitation to try on the kimono without any knowledge is problematic. But it should be the MFA that is educating people on the kimono directly, as they do in their East Asian collection. https://www.facebook.com/events/104178279926312/

You do not claim to Japanese, but otherwise I have no idea what your background might be. But let's say you are Chinese -- or Thai -- or Vietnamese. You do not own Japanese culture. You are not a member of that culture. You do not get to decide what is and isn't acceptable. I know for a fact that Japan (and Japanese artisans) are working to _promote_ awareness (and even sales) of the kimono to the world beyond Japan. What gives you the right to say that they should not be doing this. And that an American museum closely tied to Japan cannot, in effect, support this campaign?

Imagine just how dull life would be if cultures didn't exchange information. Borrowing happens all the time, and is healthy. Yes, transmission often lacks fidelity, but as with biological evolution, that is actually an important feature of the process. If one culture were never allow to adopt and adapt a feature from another culture, we'd be living in little culture islands, utterly unable to empathize with one another. Celebrate and educate, don't judge and discourage such exchanges, no matter how imperfect. You and your intended audience will be richer for the experience.

And of course all of this has gotten away from the fact that the individual in the picture is clearly protesting Japanese behavior, not Western interest in a particular clothing tradition....

If Asians wear certain western clothes, especially those with roman letters that make no sense - should I be offended? How about an Asian person rapping - should that offend me? Should I cut the ties off of any Asian person who dares to wear one? Or douse little Japanese girls in paint if their school uniforms are imitation sailor suits like those in European private schools? And God forbid we get into things like Nike shoes, iPhones and God knows how many other consumer goods that are American cultural elements.

I spent a huge amount of my younger days in Asia. I would have been awfully insulted - and tired - if I had wasted much time or thought on the amount of American cultural elements that are appropriated by Asians without any knowledge or dissemination of the cultural significance behind them, and are merely used because they look "cool".

It's a damned dress - worn now only on special occasions and by a certain very old profession in Kyoto. I see this as Japan for beginners. If anyone is inspired to take their level of knowledge further - good for them. Fascinating culture and history. Proud people for good reason. But if you are offended because someone wants to experience their clothes - get another gripe. Every Japanese person I ever met was happy to allow their Western friends to try on their kimonos. They were flattered by their interest and fascination with these spectacular artworks - which is what they truly are. One of my most treasured gifts from my days in Japan is a gentleman's kimono that was given to me by close friends.

And I really do hear you. Respect and knowledge are crucial. I guess I just find the leap to #whitesupremacy counter-productive to examining issues that I consider far more important and more damaging.

There is a book called The Hare with the Amber Eyes, written by an English ceramicist about the collection of Japanese netsuke he inherited, collected by his Austrian-French-Jewish great-great-uncle during this time period and later saved from the Nazis by a devoted housekeeper and preserved by his gentle, gay uncle Iggy who moved to Japan after the war and lived out his life there. It is one of the best things I've read about art, family, place and details the Parisian fascination at the time with "Japonisme"...anyway, I digress but it's worth a read.

... if the artisans wanted people to experience this replica kimono in this way (baby steps) -- and they surely did -- I see no valid cause for complaint.

Seeing it up close, feeling the material, experiencing the weight, learning generally how it is supposed to be worn -- all of this is elementary kimono education.

Sometimes you don't need to overwhelm with information.

Looking at, touching, feeling the weight of the fabric: these are all learning tools. Just because a boatload of verbal or written information isn't being handed out doesn't mean people aren't gaining from it. I know I would be transformed to what life must have been like when such a garment was the norm. It's so different from what we demand of our clothing today in the US! We want flexibility, lightness, breathability, style. Trying such a garment on would inform me on how my daily movement would change as a result: my demeanor would change, how I hold myself, etc. All intangibles that no amount of verbage, spoken or written can portray without actual physical interaction. But this is me. I can't know if others would feel the same. You know, maybe I would also think about France's infatuation with Japonisme. And then my brain would leap to England's with the Orient. And fashion trends which change so quickly, then and now. There is much to take home from this exhibit, if you want to.

Self directed learning could be one way to take what's going on here: like art, it is what you say it is. The MFA has planted seeds, each participant is choosing to grow from those seeds (or not), and what the plant becomes is not up to you, but each participant.

ETA: I haven't even mentioned the quality of the work and the intricacies found therein! Techniques which have been in use forever. Another jumping point for learning and appreciation.