Image:
Piece of Silence
(2006)
mixed media on board
80cm x 80cm
Reading:
Arjun Appadurai “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy” in Modernity at Large (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota 1996) 27-47
In this reading, I feel Arjun Appadurai believe what is happening now is a creation of a common imagined world is what affects everyone and our surroundings. Through homogenization and globalisation, everything is becoming the same – lack of originality. The globe becomes ‘smaller’ and the flow of cultures becomes easier. Also, an original is no longer original. Imagination is a constructed originality motivated by a society who aspires to be original. These individuals then look towards primordialism – the going back to roots, going back to purity. This social ideology then brought about social imaginaire. An example stated in the reading is McDonaldization. McDonald is an American fast food joint that sells burgers and fries, have been spreading across the globe through globalisation as it wants to expend its influence and increase revenue. This at the same time allows a free flow of western ideas into the nations. In order to cater to the needs of each different cultures McDonald taps into social imaginaire. Being also influenced by primordialism, McDonalds tries to change their menus in China, offering congee on top of the usual burgers and fries.
With relation to art, I feel sometimes art making have been influenced by such a thinking as its everywhere. Western artist have always been attracted by Asian art as it reflects something exotic. Thus some artists embrace this social imaginaire, produced commercial art. These Asian artists know if they produce art works that showcase their Asian-ness will sell well, thus making art for money - commercialism. Shih Yun on the flip side is an Asian artist inspired by a western style, practices this western style of painting but with a twist. Asian-ness is portrayed with the use of Chinese painting techniques like the use of positive and negative space and Chinese black ink medium. Unconsciously, she may also be feeding a market of art buyers that favours such east and west mix.
Arjun Appadurai “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy” in Modernity at Large (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota 1996) 27-47
In this reading, I feel Arjun Appadurai believe what is happening now is a creation of a common imagined world is what affects everyone and our surroundings. Through homogenization and globalisation, everything is becoming the same – lack of originality. The globe becomes ‘smaller’ and the flow of cultures becomes easier. Also, an original is no longer original. Imagination is a constructed originality motivated by a society who aspires to be original. These individuals then look towards primordialism – the going back to roots, going back to purity. This social ideology then brought about social imaginaire. An example stated in the reading is McDonaldization. McDonald is an American fast food joint that sells burgers and fries, have been spreading across the globe through globalisation as it wants to expend its influence and increase revenue. This at the same time allows a free flow of western ideas into the nations. In order to cater to the needs of each different cultures McDonald taps into social imaginaire. Being also influenced by primordialism, McDonalds tries to change their menus in China, offering congee on top of the usual burgers and fries.
With relation to art, I feel sometimes art making have been influenced by such a thinking as its everywhere. Western artist have always been attracted by Asian art as it reflects something exotic. Thus some artists embrace this social imaginaire, produced commercial art. These Asian artists know if they produce art works that showcase their Asian-ness will sell well, thus making art for money - commercialism. Shih Yun on the flip side is an Asian artist inspired by a western style, practices this western style of painting but with a twist. Asian-ness is portrayed with the use of Chinese painting techniques like the use of positive and negative space and Chinese black ink medium. Unconsciously, she may also be feeding a market of art buyers that favours such east and west mix.
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