This interview with Edward Said brings up many fascinating aspects of how Europeans looked upon and interpreted people from different lands. Even though his term “Orientalism” originated with the Middle East and much of his conversation is specifically about this region, think about his statements in a broader scope, what is often referred to as our fascination with “the other”.
Edward Said On Orientalism
After exploring the ideas surrounding Orientalism, select three photographs from this week’s lesson that, in your opinion, exemplify the idea of Orientalism, that of representing a culture or a people in a stereotypical way. You will:
Upload each of three images with documentation for each. I have attached the files in pdf form so that you can easily clip the slides. I like to use the clipping tool.
1.State why you think each is a good example of a culture seen through the eyes of (and therefor misunderstood by) an outsider(s).
2.One might think that the camera, above all other media, has the ability to show an objective, truthful reality. Why and how do you think photography in particular fell prey to the Orientalist mindset?
3.Do you think that colonialism has affected, or still affects, a predominant view of the world? Why or why not?
Always use your best writing. This includes proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. No use of lower case “i”, other abbreviations, or emoticons will be used. Refer to the work above as a painting, not a picture or a photo. Also, use “artwork” or “work of art”, never “piece of art” or “art piece.” I know that sounds picky but we must get accustomed to customary ways of speaking about art.
