Reflective Statement

Using a blog as a theory method has been a useful way in which i can reflect on course learning. The connection between lectures and museum visits really helps me to define the theories and issues highlighted within all the topics. It also has helped me to interpret the resources we are given, by understanding and evaluating them in the lecture, visit and blog. The blog style has given me a better method in which to summaries what i have learned into a conclusion that i can understand for myself- Which in other methods you can't see how some theories come about and are supported with certain items (i.e. using photos in blog posts).

I think within the blog i have shown an understanding of the concepts brought up and i have shown my own interpretation and realisation. The underlying principles that are brought about in the theory tasks i have tried to support them by understanding them and appling them to the knowledge i see in visits and documentation. Overall i feel that blogging has allowed me to examine resources and interpret them in a way that i dont think would of been as successfull in over means of recording.

Orientalism in Fashion.

As most people who have had an interest in fashion people will know that oriental styles often comes into play, Some beautifully interpreted, Some not (How could we forget the tank tops with dragons on from the late 90's- Yes i did have one it was purple and was glittery). It appears it waats not the first time that interpretions of Oriental styles have gone off the track- Up to the 1900's there seemed to be confusion between real oriental styles and the European fantasises- None the less Europeans became big fans and even went as far as decorating royal palaces in the 'style' of Orientalism (Brighton Royal Pavilion).

Collecting things, Collecting people.

I had a lecture with Dr.Clare Rose on the origins of museums and such. Orginally museums were basically cabinets of curiosities the wealthy created as knowledgable past time. Which given a few hundered years got established into the museums we know today. It began in the 1600's exchanges between cultures became readily available and these goods were often purchased by the wealthy to collect. However all this trading eventually destablised cultures as Europeans saw the East in general as primative.

 I went to the Bristish museum to see the current exhibition of 'Benin art- Sainsbury's African Galleries'. On first inspection of the gallery you can clearly pick up on certain tribal styles that you expect from African art, but the use of materials can clearly be seen to use modern materials often involving recycling and expressing modern issues of war and poverty. After visiting the exhibition and reflecting on the history of trade between the east and west, one thing that i feel that trade has created is the on going influence it has on cultures and stereotypes sometimes negitive but i feel its worth this for the things that both sides recieve in return- even though now its hard to differenciate some parts of the western and eastern worlds which i feel is a bit of a shame due to loss of culture.