A call for works, papers and ideas for Maarav’s new issue
This coming February we will launch the new issue of Maarav which will focus on issues of expression and ownership - who has ownership of another’s voice, does ownership of voice or expression even exist and what is the moral right to use it.
This new issue will deal with questions such as who has or lacks the right to speak in the name of another with their art work or conduct research on the art and culture of others, how relevant in the artist or researcher’s personal identity and can it disqualify him/her from conducting this work? Can artist’s or curator’s gender or ethnic, economic and national background render them incapable of understanding the struggle of others, should it restrict their right to be critical of them or to champion their cause? Do globalization and the internet culture make these questions irrelevant or more relevant than ever?
Due to the fact that the study of groups requires a meeting of the other, we ask whether this foreign perspective is necessarily hostile and/or propitious, or whether is can also be a sober and clearly thought out critique. Is such a perspective truly capable of bringing new information to light or will it conceal it, is this exploration necessarily a controlling act or can it be seen as something that brings different cultures closer together.
These questions refer to artist work and research but they are just as relevant in regards to curatorship, collaborative works, co-authorship and so forth.
Examples of this issue:
It was recently made public that Kamal Boullata, a Palestinian artist and researcher residing in France, accused Professor Ganit Ankori, chair of the Art History Department in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, of plagiarizing his ideas in her new book on Palestinian art. The book titled “Palestinian Art” was recently published by Reaktion Books.
Besides Boullatta’s allegations against Ankori (which were rejected by the court and the magazine that published the allegations made to print an apology and provide financial compensation to Ankori) it also provoked a debate in various forums (some of which can be read on the Kedma site). This debate centers on the question of whether researchers of a certain group have (or lack) the moral right to investigate the cultural activities of members of other groups, perhaps even rival groups. In other words: Most of those participating in the discussions (who have read neither Ankori’s work nor Boullata’s), wondered whether Ankori (as an Israeli and a member of the Israeli academic world and thus a representative of the conquering group) has the moral right to study the work of (conquered) Palestinian artists. Many claimed that the very existence of such a study is an act of control and blamed Israeli researchers that after having robbed Palestinians of their land they now plot to rob them of their cultural voice. Similar accusations, although far less dramatic, were made against Tal Ben Tvi – a Jewish curator of European Ashkenazi descent who curated an exhibition titled “Mother Tongue” that deals in the work of Sephardic Jews. Erdem Kosova, a Turkish researcher told us that he is reluctance of writing about art practices from the Kurdish region because he feels that it will be "corrected" by a certain voice which would claim the upper authority for authenticity.
It is apparent that this question pertains to almost every curator, researcher or artist of any nation, religion, political affiliation, ethnic background or gender around the world. It is this question that provides us a glimpse into what happens when a Jewish artist decides to collaborate with Bedouin groups or with elementary school children, to wonder whether an equalitarian work process can spring from such a situation, to ask who and what may support international cultural collaborations that provide work for so many Israeli artists and curators, and to examine how the struggle against building the Israeli West-Bank barrier has become a topic extensively dealt with in Israeli and international art.
These issues will be the central points of debate in the new Maarav issue, posted in both English and Hebrew. We call on our readers to send any suggested ideas for art works, papers, studies or additional projects that may be relevant to the discussion.
Deadline for proposals: 25.12.08
Suggestions, remarks or insights may be sent to the issue editors Ronen Eidelman and Yonatan Amir:
Ronen(at)maarav.org.il
Yonatan(at)maarav.org.il
