The traffic in culture: refiguring art and anthropology

392 Pages·1995·34.88 MB·English

by  George E. Marcus

The Traffic in Culture
Refiguring Art and Anthropology
EDITED BY
George E. Marcus and Fred R. Myers
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley Los Angeles London
The Traffic in Culture
Refiguring Art and Anthropology
EDITED BY
George E. Marcus and Fred R. Myers
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley Los Angeles London
N
72
.A S 'f.
T13
,qq For our children-Samantha, Rachel, and Avery
~
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
New material © 1995 by the Regents of the University of California
Parts of this book were published in earlier versions.
Chapter 2: "Representing Culture: The Production ofDiscourse(s) for Aboriginal Acrylic Paintings,"
Cultural Anthropology 6 (no. I, Feb. 1991). Reprinted by permission of the American Anthropological
Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 3: "From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis," Working Papers and Proceedings ift he Center for
P.ryclwsocial Studies, no. 53 (1992); "Voices of the Rainforest," Public Culture 4, no. 1(1991), © 1991 by
the University of Chicago, all rights reserved; "Voices of the Rainforest: 'Imperialist Nostalgia' and
the Politics of Music," Arena 99/100 (1992); "From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis: On the
Discourses and Commodification Practices of 'World Music' and 'World Beat,' " in MusU: Grooves, ed.
Charles Keil and Steven Feld (University of Chicago Press, 1994).
Chapter 5: "Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: The Mediation of Knowledge by Traders in Mrican
Art," V'ISUaIAnthropology Review 6, no. I (1990): 45-49. Reprinted by permission of the American
Anthropological Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 6: "The Patronage of Difference: Making Indian Art 'Art, Not Ethnology,' " Cultural
Anthropology 7 (no. 4, Nov. 1992). Reprinted by permission of the American Anthropological
Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 7: "The Power of Contemporary Work in an American Art Tradition to muminate Its Own
Power Relations," Power: Its Myths and Mores in American Art, 1961-1991, ed. Holliday T. Day
(Indianapolis: Indianapolis Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1991).
© Indianapolis Museum ofA rt. Reprinted by permission ofIndiana University Press.
Chapter II: "The Female Aesthetic Community," PoetUs Todl!)! 14, no. 1(1993): 143-163' ©Judith L.
Goldstein.
Chapter 12: "The War on Culture," Art in America (Sept. 1989): 39-45; "Misunderstanding
Obscenity," Art in America (May 1990): 49-55; "Reagan's Revenge: Restructuring the NEA," Art in
America (Nov. 1990): 49-55; and "Feminist Fundamentalism: Women against Images," Art in America
(Sept. 1993): 35-39. © Carole S. Vance.
CIP information will be found at the back of this book.
ISBN 978-0-520-08847-4
Printed in the United States of America
10 09 08
I1109 8 7 6 54
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSIINISO Z39-48-J992
(R 1997) (Permanence if Paper). 9
N
72
.A S 'f.
T13
,qq For our children-Samantha, Rachel, and Avery
~
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
New material © 1995 by the Regents of the University of California
Parts of this book were published in earlier versions.
Chapter 2: "Representing Culture: The Production ofDiscourse(s) for Aboriginal Acrylic Paintings,"
Cultural Anthropology 6 (no. I, Feb. 1991). Reprinted by permission of the American Anthropological
Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 3: "From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis," Working Papers and Proceedings ift he Center for
P.ryclwsocial Studies, no. 53 (1992); "Voices of the Rainforest," Public Culture 4, no. 1(1991), © 1991 by
the University of Chicago, all rights reserved; "Voices of the Rainforest: 'Imperialist Nostalgia' and
the Politics of Music," Arena 99/100 (1992); "From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis: On the
Discourses and Commodification Practices of 'World Music' and 'World Beat,' " in MusU: Grooves, ed.
Charles Keil and Steven Feld (University of Chicago Press, 1994).
Chapter 5: "Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: The Mediation of Knowledge by Traders in Mrican
Art," V'ISUaIAnthropology Review 6, no. I (1990): 45-49. Reprinted by permission of the American
Anthropological Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 6: "The Patronage of Difference: Making Indian Art 'Art, Not Ethnology,' " Cultural
Anthropology 7 (no. 4, Nov. 1992). Reprinted by permission of the American Anthropological
Association. Not for sale or further reproduction.
Chapter 7: "The Power of Contemporary Work in an American Art Tradition to muminate Its Own
Power Relations," Power: Its Myths and Mores in American Art, 1961-1991, ed. Holliday T. Day
(Indianapolis: Indianapolis Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1991).
© Indianapolis Museum ofA rt. Reprinted by permission ofIndiana University Press.
Chapter II: "The Female Aesthetic Community," PoetUs Todl!)! 14, no. 1(1993): 143-163' ©Judith L.
Goldstein.
Chapter 12: "The War on Culture," Art in America (Sept. 1989): 39-45; "Misunderstanding
Obscenity," Art in America (May 1990): 49-55; "Reagan's Revenge: Restructuring the NEA," Art in
America (Nov. 1990): 49-55; and "Feminist Fundamentalism: Women against Images," Art in America
(Sept. 1993): 35-39. © Carole S. Vance.
CIP information will be found at the back of this book.
ISBN 978-0-520-08847-4
Printed in the United States of America
10 09 08
I1109 8 7 6 54
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSIINISO Z39-48-J992
(R 1997) (Permanence if Paper). 9
The Traffic in Culture
Refiguring Art and Anthropology
EDITED BY
George E. Marcus and Fred R. Myers
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley Los Angeles London
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS / ix
I. The Traffic in Art and Culture: An Introduction
George E. Marcus and Fred R. Myers / I
PART RELATIVIZING THE ART WORLD
I'
2. Representing Culture:
The Production ofDiscourse(s) for Aboriginal Acrylic Paintings
Fred R. Myers / 55
3. From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis:
The Discourses arid Practices of World Music and World Beat
Steven Feld / 96
4. Three Walls: Regional Aesthetics and the International Art World
Lynn M. Hart / 127
5. The Art of the Trade:
On the Creation of Value and Authenticity in the African Art Market
Christopher B. Steiner / 151
6. The Patronage of Difference: Making Indian Art "Art, Not Ethnology"
Molly H. Mullin / 166
PART 2' CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE ART WORLD
7. The Power of Contemporary Work in an American Art Tradition
to Illuminate Its Own Power Relations
George E. Marcus / 201
m!
viii CONTENTS
8. Confusing Pleasures ILLUSTRATIONS
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett / 224
9. Inside Trading:
Postmodernism and the Social Drama of Su'1flowers in the 1980s Art World
Nancy Sullivan / 256
10. The Artist as Ethnographer?
Hal Foster / 302
11. The Female Aesthetic Community
Judith L. Goldstein / 3IO
12. Four Essays on Art, Sexuality, and Cultural Politics
Carole S. Vance / 330
The War on Culture / 331
Misunderstanding ObscenitY / 340
Reagan's Revenge: Restructuring the NEA / 348
Feminist Fundamentalism-Women against lmoges / 359
2.1. Uta UtaJangala at work / 61
UST OF CONTRIBUTORS / 369
2.2. Uta UtaJangala, Tuman / 63
INDEX / 371 2.3. Uta UtaJangala, Old Man Dreaming at Tuman / 64
4.1. Srimati Savitri Devi Sah,]yonti / 130
4.2. Snmati Ugra Tara Devi, Das Mahavidya / 132
4.3. Bowa Devi, Niiginis: Femmes serpents / 136
5.1. Mrican art trader with Senufo mask / 15:3
5.2. Mrican art trader at his stall / 155
5.3. Mrican art trader with wooden storage trunk / 156
5+ Shipment of Mrican art / 158
5.5. Guinean workshop artist with "colonial" figures / 162
5.6. Mrican art trader sanding down "colonial" statues / 163
6.1. Cartoon: "Isn't it cute" I 175
ix
viii CONTENTS
8. Confusing Pleasures ILLUSTRATIONS
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett / 224
9. Inside Trading:
Postmodernism and the Social Drama of Su'1flowers in the 1980s Art World
Nancy Sullivan / 256
10. The Artist as Ethnographer?
Hal Foster / 302
11. The Female Aesthetic Community
Judith L. Goldstein / 3IO
12. Four Essays on Art, Sexuality, and Cultural Politics
Carole S. Vance / 330
The War on Culture / 331
Misunderstanding ObscenitY / 340
Reagan's Revenge: Restructuring the NEA / 348
Feminist Fundamentalism-Women against lmoges / 359
2.1. Uta UtaJangala at work / 61
UST OF CONTRIBUTORS / 369
2.2. Uta UtaJangala, Tuman / 63
INDEX / 371 2.3. Uta UtaJangala, Old Man Dreaming at Tuman / 64
4.1. Srimati Savitri Devi Sah,]yonti / 130
4.2. Snmati Ugra Tara Devi, Das Mahavidya / 132
4.3. Bowa Devi, Niiginis: Femmes serpents / 136
5.1. Mrican art trader with Senufo mask / 15:3
5.2. Mrican art trader at his stall / 155
5.3. Mrican art trader with wooden storage trunk / 156
5+ Shipment of Mrican art / 158
5.5. Guinean workshop artist with "colonial" figures / 162
5.6. Mrican art trader sanding down "colonial" statues / 163
6.1. Cartoon: "Isn't it cute" I 175
ix
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS / ix
I. The Traffic in Art and Culture: An Introduction
George E. Marcus and Fred R. Myers / I
PART RELATIVIZING THE ART WORLD
I'
2. Representing Culture:
The Production ofDiscourse(s) for Aboriginal Acrylic Paintings
Fred R. Myers / 55
3. From Schizophonia to Schismogenesis:
The Discourses arid Practices of World Music and World Beat
Steven Feld / 96
4. Three Walls: Regional Aesthetics and the International Art World
Lynn M. Hart / 127
5. The Art of the Trade:
On the Creation of Value and Authenticity in the African Art Market
Christopher B. Steiner / 151
6. The Patronage of Difference: Making Indian Art "Art, Not Ethnology"
Molly H. Mullin / 166
PART 2' CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE ART WORLD
7. The Power of Contemporary Work in an American Art Tradition
to Illuminate Its Own Power Relations
George E. Marcus / 201
m!