Wow, this thread exploded.
As for the Arabic calligraphy tattoo art example, I can honestly make out the letters but the combination is rather artistic :-) e.g. illegible (Imagine taking the words "read me" and separate the letters artistically, and changing their order.) I bounced it over to a friend who is a calligrapher though. I'll post his interpretation.
Appropriation is a sensitive issue in many circles, the emphasis on consciousness - being conscious to these issues - is important to me. At the same time I realise that in spite of political correctness all cultures appropriate aspects of other cultures and are derivative. An Armani suit and an Arab's djellaba both descend from the same Roman tunic which was picked up in Byzantium, bounced over to Russia as a priestly vestment, evolved into a type of short coat worn by Poles, copied in France while the Arab version became the qamis and the djellaba, was copied in Moorish Spain, and became a surcoat worn by knights, was shortened and eventually re-merged with its cousin in Parisian fashion, etc., etc..
High velocity cultural appropriation takes place along vectors determined by flows of power often, one group emulating a group more, or less, privileged than they are. I like being conscious but I dislike making moral judgements. If 21 year old bougi co-eds want to paint each other with Henna, their desire is a form of admiration of the culture they appropriate this from - "the most sincere complement is flattery." |
