In ‘The Artist as Ethnographer’, Hal Foster criticises the artistic use of ethnographic methods. He argues that artists who employ ethnographic methods attempt to appropriate the authenticity and authority of ethnographic work without considering the ethical and political implications of their representations. He also asserts that these representations are often reductive, exotic and reinforce colonial power structures.
I agree with this position . Foster’s critique is still relevant today, as the relationship between the artist and the object of ethnographic study remains a matter of constant debate in the art world and beyond. The issue of cultural appropriation and the ethical responsibility of the artist to represent other cultures accurately and respectfully remains a pressing one.
In the past year of work I have had contact with a rural revitalisation project to develop the local economy and tourism through the development of local museums and cultural and creative projects, but the initial implementation was like an alien missionary and did not integrate with the local community and cultural traditions, which killed the traditional local ethnic culture and lost the moral responsibility for the sake of economic effect, and I believe that artists should I believe that artists should consider community involvement and social participation when creating art.
At the same time I feel that artists can also bring more benefits if they engage deeply in society. Artists can have a significant impact on society by using their platform and influence to address important social issues and raise awareness. Through social engagement, artists can help bring attention to under-represented perspectives and marginalised communities, and inspire change through their work. In addition, engaging with social issues can deepen artists’ understanding of the world and enrich their creative practice. Ultimately, the role of the artist in society is to challenge the status quo and promote empathy, understanding and progress.
O’Reilly, Karen. Key Concepts in Ethnography / Karen O’Reilly. Los Angeles, Calif. ;: SAGE, 2009. Print.
Post-Partum Document. Documentation III: Analysed Markings And Diary Perspective Schema (Experimentum Mentis III: Weaning from the Dyad)
Fieldnotes
It is significant to be aware of the elements of a group or environment are pertinent to developmental study, or which elements of culture and community have changed over time.
When you first visit a place, or when you experience it through a stranger’s eyes, they might be some of the most significant moments. Therefore, it is crucial to write down your initial thoughts in as much detail as you can.
I consider postnatal journaling to be more of a diary than an artistic creation. She replies to a variety of feminist societal challenges via phenomenon, stress, and emotional feedback through first-hand study and exposure to baby-related products like diapers and feces, and it is clear why this technique is suitable to modern ethnographic methodologies. Despite its positivist foundations, ethnography is exceptional in that it emphasizes lived experience while allowing for a long-term view, giving participants a voice, and being discrete, delicate, even passive. Finding out how daily activities contribute to the upkeep of power is also helpful.
Skeggs, B. (2007). Feminist ethnography (pp. 426-443). Sage.
Post-partum document, Mary Kelly (1973-1979)
My Question:
So feminist ethnography is more feminist than feminism, is it more reflective? Is it more dialectical and more in touch with women’s ordinary lives? Whereas positivists pretend to be neutral? Perhaps I need to look at what positivism is.
Positivists pretend to be neutral in their research design and analysis, but what they actually do is write their assumptions into the design of their work. Mainstream culture gets written in and women’s roles are devalued (survey research rarely asks about housework, friendships, informal work, etc., so it is difficult to put these topics on the research agenda). The very vocabulary of the questionnaire can make women wary of their roles or can simply exclude them and their interpretations. Furthermore, many early researchers completely ignored women in their studies. Research tended to focus on the public aspects of life (especially empirical studies).
O’Reilly K. Key concepts in ethnography[M]. Sage, 2009.
and (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: the Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Returning to the field of art, consider this scenario, which I admit is a caricature. An artist is contacted by a curator to discuss work in a specific location. He or she flies into town in order to engage with the target community with which the institution is working. However, there is little time or money to engage with the community in any significant way (communities are often constructed as ready-made representatives).
The artist is invited in without knowing the curator’s community drinking organisation, which sounds a bit sparse because they have not researched whether the community idea is a good match for his idea? This looks a lot like the difference between positivism and feminist ethnography mentioned above.
Reference：
O’Reilly, Karen. Key Concepts in Ethnography / Karen O’Reilly. Los Angeles, Calif. ;: SAGE, 2009. Print.
Skeggs, B. (2007). Feminist ethnography (pp. 426-443). Sage.
Post-partum document, Mary Kelly (1973-1979)
and (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: the Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
