This document discusses multiculturalist aesthetics and criticism in art. It argues that Western European male artists, while skilled, are not the apex of all creativity as commonly presented. Art from other cultures has been systematically framed as "diverse" or "folk" to reserve the highest positions in museums for the dominant culture. It encourages questioning the placement of art beyond just aesthetic value. It also discusses how implicit biases propagated by those in power have developed stereotypes that position Western European art as the epitome of creativity over all "other" art. Multicultural art aims to bring these subconscious biases into view so that a work's value is no longer tainted by stereotypes.

1. MULTICULTURALIST
AESTHETICS AND
CRITICISM
Writing Art Education AE 2367.2

2. WESTERN EUROPEAN
HOMOGENIZATION IN
THE US

3. Two Realities in the ArtWorld
What we are given
■ MaleWestern European artist as
apex
■ Art from other cultures or countries
as “diverse” or “folk”
■ Appreciate, don’t question
What is real
■ MaleWestern European artists, while
skilled and talented, are not the apex
of creativity
■ Art from other cultures and countries
has been systematically processed so
as to reserve the highest positions in
art museums to the dominant
■ The placing of art in a museum should
be questioned on more than its
aesthetic value.

4. Four Questions of Multiculturalist
Aesthetics
For whom was the art created?
For whom does it exist?
Who is represented?
Who is doing the telling?The hearing?

5. MULTICULTURISTTHEORY RIGHTLYCLAIMSTHAT AN UNDERCURRENTOFTHOUGHT
AND BIAS PROPAGATED BYTHE CAPITAL CONTROLLING ELITE HAVE DEVELOPED
STEREOTYPESAND IMPLICIT BIASESWHICH SUBCONSCIOUSLY POSITIONWHITE
MALEWESTERN EUROPEAN DOMINATEDART ASTHE EPITOMEOF CREATIVITY AND
SKILLANDTHE STANDARD BYWHICH ALL “OTHER”ART SHOULD BE JUDGEDAND
APPRECIATED.
MULTICULTURISTART PUSHESTHIS SUBCONSCIOUS INTOVIEW, FORCINGTHE
VIEWERTO QUESTIONANDACKNOWLEDGEAWORK OF ART SOTHATTHEVALUE
ATTRIBUTEDTO ITWILL NO LONGER BETAINTED BY BIASES OR STEREOTYPES.

6. Fred Wilson
Cultural representation of
ethnic minorities in
museums
Born to African American and Native
American parents
“Mining the Museum” – Maryland Historical
Society, Baltimore, MD
Indianapolis Public Art Project -Video

7. David Bailey –Three elements of a
Stereotype
The stereotyping of African Americans
Fragmentation – defines the whole group by one small aspect
Objectification – places the group outside what is considered normal
Name Substitution – demeans the group entirely

8. POSTCOLONIALISM

9. POSTCOLONIAL CRITICS INVESTIGATETHE
CULTURAL SITUATIONS OF PEOPLES OR
NATIONSTHAT HAVE BEEN OR ARE UNDER
THE IMPERIALISTTERRITORIAL CONTROL
OF A COLONIZING POWER
Considers the effect of colonization and decolonization on the colonized
and the colonizer.

10. Edward Said
(1935-2003)
Palestinian born in
Jerusalem
Orientalism 1978
• How are colonized cultures represented?
• What is the power of such representations
in controlling cultures?
• What is the discourse by which colonizers
and the colonized construct their subject
positions?
Disney and Orientalism -Video