Art and Cultural Appropriation

Unit Learning Objectives:

• I can recognize art appropriation
• I can understand when art crosses from appreciation to appropriation
• I can understand how copyright protects individual artists and awareness of appropriation protects cultural identity in art.

Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one's actions.
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.
Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations

This learning guide is leveled to provide flexibility to students

Level 1 - Absolute minimum must know / be able to demonstrate

Level 2 - Should know / be able to demonstrate

Level 3 - Would be great to know / be able to demonstrate

“Together, Canadians must do more than just talk about reconciliation; we must learn how to practise reconciliation in our everyday lives - within ourselves and our families, and in our communities, governments, places of worship, schools, and workplaces. To do so constructively, Canadians must remain committed to the ongoing work of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.” (Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future. Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 21). 

Projects: As you work through this unit use the projects to enhance your understanding in areas or interest and/or weakness. If you wish to explore another area of interest within a topic area, feel free to propose your idea to your teacher. 

Actively work through each lesson, trying examples and reflecting on material. 2. Use the Learning Guide as your tool for documenting your understanding. Lay it out neatly and well organized. 3. Make sure you understand all project requirements. If you can't figure it out - ASK! 

1. Interview an Indigenous Artist: Connect with the artist ahead of time, ask your Aboriginal Education Worker or your Teacher for advice in the protocols for asking the artist to be interviewed.   Review the link to “how to interview in a culturally appropriate way”.  Prepare 10 questions ahead of time and ask permission to record their answers.   Transcribe the interview with the help of your Aboriginal Education Worker and your teacher and hand it in.    

2. Record a family member telling a story about a piece of art that came from their cultural background.  Make sure you ask permission to record their story and or thoughts.  
   Hand in a 1 page summary of their talk with you. Including the following:

   • What is their connection to the piece? What does it mean to them?

   • Who is the artist, where is the artist from?

   • What is it called, if anything?

   • What is it about?

   • What style is it in?

   • How did they get the piece?

   • Make sure you ask permission of your family member if you want to include a photo of the piece when you hand in your summary.  

3. Choose three cultural images or objects and research them. Ask yourself some questions about their origin and try to understand the value (positive or negative) these items or images might hold for a group of people. Some questions you might want to consider:

   • Is this image a stereotype of a group of people?

   • Does this image hold important cultural or traditional significance?

   • How does removing the context of this image change its meaning?

   • Does my usage of the image trivialize a culture or group of people

   • How do we borrow from the world around us?

   • Are there right / wrong ways to use imagery from other cultures?

   • Why do corporations and businesses use famous images or cultural traditions in their work?

   • What aspect of the image sells products or call attention to issues?
     Adapted from ​​​​https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/cultural-appropriation-whats-an-educators-role

4. This project has 3 parts.

   1. Research: To begin this project, research examples of appropriation in artwork and mass media. Focus on motives and reasons for the practice. Choose an original artwork as inspiration. Research the origins and story behind the piece to better understand it. 

   2. Make Art: Using the art piece you researched, appropriate the imagery in a way that alters the meaning. In this way, you will make the image your own. Consider using tools like tracing paper, light boxes, and the grid method. If you are able to contact the artist via email, (they are still alive and making!) do so and ask permission to appropriate the piece and change it.  Let them know it is for your personal art making and experimentation.  

   3. Reflect: Finally, create an artist statement. The statement should reflect how you have shifted the work and why you made the choices you did. It should also properly credit the source.
      
      Project idea taken from Raymond Yang.  Ray Yang is a Middle and Upper School Art Teacher and Teaching Artist in Seattle, WA. He is a passionate advocate for social justice and believes the arts can change the world. 

5. Research an Indigenous artist or art style and create a presentation, report, artwork (including new/digital media works i.e. video etc), blog etc. to raise awareness of the cultural connections and significance. An analysis of the work should be included.  There are a number of great artists on the site Authentic Indigenous. It is currently being revised but you can still click on the artists tab at the top of the page and get access to many amazing Indigenous artists to create a presentation on.   Maybe you are able to email the artist and have a great conversation about their work and their cultural connections?