Representing Women: from HBO's "Girls" to Thai Concubines

I came across two very interesting articles and commentaries about representation of women today. These articles also highlighted the loaded nature of racial and ethnic representation as well. The first explores why we should be upset that HBO's new hit series Girls features four main characters who are white girls, while placing all other characters as cardboard cutouts of their ethnic stereotype. Dodai Stewart asks, "Does Girls have the right to be all-white? Of course. But we, the public, have the right to critique the insular, homogenous world a young woman with the good fortune to have her own TV show has chosen to present. Because it's exclusionary, disappointing, unrealistic, and upsetting. And it perpetuates a sad trend." The second I came across was Dr Leslie Woodhouse's fascinating article about photographs of Siamese kingly consorts, taken by other consorts, at the turn of the century.

Woodhouse notes:"By examining the photographic activities of a particular royal consort, Erb Bunnag, I intend to demonstrate that palace womens’ photography was not a mere curiosity of nineteenth-century Siamese elite culture, but rather reflective of a significant moment in Thailand’s cultural and political history. During the same era in which royal concubinage was losing ground politically, it was rapidly morphing—via photographic imagery—into a powerful tool of crypto-colonial discourse. At the same time, as Siam grappled with the new ideologies of imperialism and racial inferiority espoused by European colonial nations, a Siamese ‘hierarchy of civilizations’ became necessary, and Erb’s photographs of the ethnically different Princess Dara Rasami illustrate one means of its construction. In this context, Erb’s photographs served to not only render palace women visible to the general viewing public of Siam for the first time, but also to showcase royal women as exemplars of “modern” (read: Western) femininity—and to locate certain consorts in a new siwilai (civilized) hierarchy. Via their adoption of Western cultural markers of dress, accessory objects, and leisure activities, palace women were re-made into crypto-colonial icons of eliteness for a growing Bangkok bourgeoisie." Here we see ethnographic photography being actively used by potential subjects of ethnographic photography, and photography and visibility used as markers of modernity. Read the full (excellent!) article here.

The images shown here are from the original article, where they are credited to the National Archive of Thailand.

Videos from Mathaf

Saudi Street Art Video

(in Arabic)

CCTV feature on Art Dubai

Check out this video about Art Dubai's rising art stars, featuring so many Arab and Middle Eastern artists.

The body in Arab art

Mouvement decompose, Mehdi-George Lahlou


An exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe is exploring the body in Arab art. Notes curator Hoda Makram-Ebeid, "We want this show to break down clichés concerning the Arab world, but we're not looking for controversy. The artists on show are of all ages, from all over the world. The immense variety and multiplicity of the work demonstrates that it is impossible to lump together 'Arabic artists' or Arab art. They're looking at a problematic – that of the body – which interests everyone today and their work is relevant to people of all different backgrounds." Learn more here.

Abu Dhabi Art 2011

See the video here!

Photographer Lily Bandak on art and disability in the Arab world

Lily Bandak, Beirut, 1982


Photographer Lily Bandak speaks about her career in photography and disability.

Arabic Oldies: Najat Essaghira

Parastou Forouhar wins Sophie von la Roche award

Kharavan Butterfly, above.
See the story and hear Forouhar discuss her work here on BBC.

Moving site-specific artworks

The film The Art of the Steal discusses the Barnes Foundation's controversial move from Merion, PA, to downtown Philly. You can also read my review of the film here, on my personal blog.

Should site-specific works be allowed to be moved? And who gets to determine this - and how long after the artist or owner of the work passes away do their wishes continue to be honored? For another case involving moving and dismantling of site-specific works that generated controversy, see Richard Serra's Tilted Arc.

The Sheikh and I

This film looks really interesting, as it explores a lot of the issues and controversy around recreating Western-style concepts of free speech, public spaces, art, and art delivery mechanisms in the Arab Gulf. I will have to find a way to track it down!

More of the backstory on Zahedi's film here.

James Cuno on the Encyclopedic Museum & Its Value

See his talk at Zocalo from this week here.