The Museum of Fine Arts reports it's responding to complaints about cultural appropriation and banning the weekly wearing of kimonos in front of Monet's La Japonaise.
Last week, protesters stood with signs in front of the painting protesting non-Japanese people being allowed to put on a kimono as cultural racism. In a statement today, the museum says:
The kimonos will now be on display in the Impressionist gallery every Wednesday evening in July for visitors to touch and engage with, but not to try on. This allows the MFA to continue to achieve the program’s goal of offering an interactive experience with the kimonos - understanding their weight and size, and appreciating the embroidery, material, and narrative composition. We will also increase the number of Spotlight Talks presented by MFA educators, to take place every Wednesday evening in July in conjunction with the display of the kimonos. The talks provide context on French Impressionism, “japonisme,” and the historical background of the painting, as well as an opportunity to engage in culturally sensitive discourse. We apologize for offending any visitors, and welcome everyone to participate in these programs on Wednesday evenings, when Museum admission is free. We look forward to continuing the Museum’s long-standing dialogue about the art, culture and influence of Japan.
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
And I respectfully disagree...
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:43am
... with your disagreement.
And I do agree with Sally that it was presumptuous for this group of protesters to take action with no apparent attempt to ascertain whether this was seen as problematic by Japanese or Japanese-Americans.
There are plenty of names of
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:49am
There are plenty of Japanese surnames in the activists' Facebook group.
Joining a FB group...
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:50am
... to see what is going on is _not_ the same as supporting what that group does. ;-}
They did not just join the
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:01am
They did not just join the Facebook group. They RSVP'd to come to the protest event today, while the kimono was still being offered to be tried on at the MFA.
While an RSVP to an event on Facebook means almost nothing, it is at the very least, symbolic. It is a signal that you support the event. At least the way everyone I know uses Facebook.
Duplicate
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:07am
Please ignore.
I'm sure everyone read the names on the Facebook group.
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:21am
Their protest is obviously a public one, and yet none of these supposed plenty of Japanese Americans came forward, deferring to Siyuan and Wang as the representatives during the protest and to the Boston Globe. To accuse this event of being cultural appropriation and decrying the exclusively "non-Japanese staff" under the flag of a unified Asian American identity without taking the simple step of bringing a Japanese American front-and-center is gauche at best and hypocritical at worst.
The reality is that without doing so, you get responses like the ones seen in this comment section where the protests is attributed largely to the Japanese -- a sort of misrepresentation that I would assume sensible activists would avoid.
Nobody came to the protest
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 12:04pm
Nobody came to the protest last week because it was new. There are Japanese Americans involved now.
And I'm sure the media isn't
By Aethelbee
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 12:12pm
And I'm sure the media isn't about first impressions and will continue to cover this with the same care and attention that they did this week.
Story in Globe today
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 12:14pm
But pretty superficial
I'm going to see the exhibit
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:30am
I'm going to see the exhibit myself this evening, since my work is down the street. But it seems the MFA didn't put up any information about the kimono, aside from the very basics. That it was donated from Japanese artisans, and that we should try on the kimono and feel how Camille Monet would have felt to try it on.
That's not enough from the protesters' view to avoid the charge of cultural appropriation. While many who try on the kimono may know and appreciate it and its history, it is possible there are some who try it on as a costume and learn nothing.
The MFA has made a big error
By sad puppy
Tue, 07/07/2015 - 10:49pm
The MFA has made a big error giving into this ethnic bigotry.
What's next? Segregating art wings because only some cultures are allowed to look at specific cultures' art?
I think you're conflating it
By boo_urns
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:09am
I think you're conflating it a bit. I think at least some of the disagreement was with the patronizing aspect of the event: "Come try on the kimono. Oh, would you just look how CUTE the Japanese are." That was something of the vibe I got from Ying's angle on the protest. Not to mention it's hard to not think that at least some aspect of Orientalism was being perpetuated in it, as well. But to that latter argument, I'll sit that one out.
Between the blog posted above and the article linked in it, "Why it's hard for white people to talk about race", there is a plethora of perspective you could gain by reading those. As I said above, both are well worth the read.
Maybe these protestors
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:03am
are involved with the Chicoms. They are known for creating tension and certainly creating tension between Japan and it's allies, and among Asians in genersl. It would benefit the Chicoms far more than the Japanese. As one poster said, at least one of the protestor's signs appeared to be actually anti-Japanese.
It would be interesting to get more info about who exactly these protestors are, what their backgrounds are, is there group connected to other groups, etc.
Are f'ing kidding me? What
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:52am
Are f'ing kidding me? What are you, the ghost of Joseph McCarthy or something to come up with these zany plots? These American kids who are Asian are all on Facebook. Investigate their "ChiCom" ties all you like!
This is part of Orientalism, btw. These kids are Asian and protesting, therefore, they must be Chinese Communists! They must have gone to Mao Ze Dong Military University #1 rather than Williams College! They must not be Americans!
Who even says "Chicoms" anymore?
By adamg
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:04am
Birchers, I assume.
Agreed but...
By Sally
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:08am
This is part of why it's weird to me. Do Chinese-Anerican kids and Japanese-American kids share a "culture" because they come from the same region? If anything the conflation here seems to be giving in to the untutored American's notion that "hey--they all use chopsticks, they all 'look alike' therefore they're pretty much all the same when in fact they're wildly different and in many cases clashing. (I worked in a Japanese restaurant many years ago--and I remember vividly the bitter tension and insults that regularly flew about between the Jspanese owners and chefs, the Chinese waitstaff, and the Hong Kong born manager--holy cow. And let's not start on the Korean customers who came in regularly.)
We share an experience of
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:46am
We share an experience of living in America and being seen and treated as outsiders. If only I could avoid another well meaninged compliment about how great my English is (I was born in the US!).
The seminal work on the topic is here: [url=http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Different-Shore-Hi... from a Different Shore by Ronald Takaki[/url].
Agreed
By Sally
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:53am
And this brings me back to my original point--why on earth focus on this minor, arbitrary thing rather than the myriad issues that DO affect Asian immigrants to the U.S.? I mean--showing up at the Brattle the next time they show Breakfast at Tiffany's would make much more sense. Let alone maybe piping up loudly every time anyone waxes sentimental about that racist ahole Dapper O'Neill or hey--let's not forget Marky Mark.
I know, I know. But kids do
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 11:03am
I know, I know. But kids do what they want. Maybe that it's a museum with an acclaimed East Asian art collection and experts that is offering this jaundiced (yellow, haha) take that bothers them.
If the trade representative at the Japanese consulate....
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 11:07am
... had stepped in and said -- we _want_ people to be able to try on this kimono (and others) -- would that have changed your outlook?
Probably maybe. If the
By Dot net
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 12:08pm
Probably maybe. If the consulate were to exhibit it, I would assume they would provide context and information. If they were to get the MFA to exhibit it, I think they would assume the MFA would do the same thing.
But the MFA didn't in this case. They should have provided more info on the kimono to avoid this controversy.
Is it any of your business?
By lbb
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 11:41am
My opinion only: those who are doing nothing should refrain from commenting on how those who are doing something should spend their time and energy. IOW, Sally, you should feel free to avoid issues that you believe are "minor" and "arbitrary" and concentrate your energy on issues that you believe matter, and let others do the same. Unless you're arrogant enough to believe that there is some grand universal standard of What Really Matters, and that you know exactly what it is, surely you can see that it's best to not snipe at others' priorities. If other people want to spend their time and effort on something that you believe is trivial, it ain't no skin off your nose.
It's the business of anyone who enjoys visiting the MFA
By Ron Newman
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 12:14pm
which, from time to time, is nearly all of us. Maybe we don't think the MFA should be giving in to a misinformed pressure group?
Says the creeper...
By Sally
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 1:44pm
Is it any of YOUR business? Seriously--why are you always trailing me around like a yippy little dog? Maybe try contributing something useful of your own instead of spending so much time policing other people's posts.
"policing other people's posts"
By lbb
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 2:59pm
Really, Sally? "Policing" your posts, as if I have any power to stop them or change them? Come on. You called out protesters over what you saw as a valueless act and a waste of time. You took exception to someone else's expression and to how they spend their time -- theirs, not yours. Who's doing the "policing" and yipping like a little dog, again?
You are.
By Sally
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 4:08pm
Weirdo personal attacks; faux outrage in a conversation that's been remarkably calm, friendly, and civilized; nothing substantive or interesting to add to the conversation...yep. Or rather--yip.
OK
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 10:52am
Than they're your typical, garden variety, western, comfortably raised, and educated 'progressive', with chips on their shoulders, saying "Look at me...look at me, why doesn't anyone pay attention to me!?" useful idiots? And your reference to Joesph McCarthy is really ironic.
As for the term 'Chicom', it is VERY COMMONLY USED to refer to Beijing government, and is also 100% accurate. And yes, they do love stirring up shit, and have pretty sophisticated and roundabout ways of doing, for plausible deniability.
LOL....NO SIR, BOSS...I AM NOT A 'BIRCHER' [NEOCON circa 2015].
Silly
By Michael Kerpan
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 9:45am
Even a cursory bit of Googling would not support this...
This sort of ethnic cultural
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 2:03pm
This sort of ethnic cultural segregation disturbs me. So... a black kid from Roxbury can't try on a kimono otherwise she is a racist? What if you're a Mexican immigrant to the U.S.? Are they banned from trying on kimonos lest they be publicly shamed as racists? What if you are 50% Cherokee... is it okay for you to try on a kimono or will you be accused of racism? Can you try on a kimono without retribution if your grandparents are from Laos? The more that I consider this issue, the more offended I am by the MFA's decision to bow down to the protesters.
Watch out...
By lbb
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 3:00pm
...you're likely to break your ass on that slippery slope.
Maybe you should go bury your
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 3:25pm
Maybe you should go bury your head in the sand, stop thinking for yourself unless approved by others, stop listening to music unless approved by others, stop reading books unless approved by others, stopped attending museums unless approved by others, stop seeing films unless approved by others and be miserable for the rest of your insular little life.
Are you joining in on the
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 8:56pm
Are you joining in on the #whitesupremacykills #mfaboston twitter trend, ibb?
Sorry, I don't understand
By anon
Thu, 07/09/2015 - 7:22am
Sorry, I don't understand your comment. I was being serious and your were being snarky.
There's a useful flow chart
By Dot net
Thu, 07/09/2015 - 4:29pm
There's a useful flow chart here so that you can answer your own hypotheticals: [url=http://alltogethernow.org.au/news/cultural-appropr... Easy Guide to Cultural Appropriation[/url]. It's below the examples, which are also illuminating to read.
Only works...
By Michael Kerpan
Thu, 07/09/2015 - 4:31pm
... if you buy into the underlying concept 100 percent. It represents a rather extreme viewpoint.
Interesting...
By jillian
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 3:33pm
My son's school dresses up their students in yukatas every August to celebrate the Bon Festival. Parents and students are encourage to dance traditional Japanese dances. Wonder if we should expect protests, too?
Expect a witch hunt to be
By anon
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 4:20pm
Expect a witch hunt to be organized via Facebook and those students guilty of becoming educated in other cultures to be publicly flogged via the internet.
Pages
Add comment