
Cambodian Dancers, Auguste Rodin, and the Imperial Imagination (2014) - apollinaire
http://theappendix.net/issues/2014/10/cambodian-dancers-auguste-rodin-and-the-imperial-imagination
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chaostheory
I don't understand why when people incorporate another culture's assets
respectfully in their own work, that it's considered 'hijacking'?

~~~
Mediterraneo10
This accusation usually comes down to two things:

1) Cultural productions of other peoples might be deeply linked to religious
observance, social rituals, or a person’s own identity (i.e. in some cultures
a person may have a song that only he/she may sing). When these productions
are taken up by another people that reproduces these things without the same
religious context or social functions, this can seem offensive. Saying “I was
respectful!” often doesn’t fly.

2) It seems unfair when an impoverished people creates something beautiful but
gets little economic benefit from it, while someone from a richer
country/ethnicity comes along, reproduces it, and then makes a lot of money.

Note that I am taking no stand on this myself. I am only pointing out the
common arguments.

~~~
chaostheory
I know these aren't your arguments but I can't help but respond to them.

> Saying “I was respectful!” often doesn’t fly.

I think there's a big difference between works that are mockeries versus work
that seeks to make something beautiful & useful that's obvious to most people.

> It seems unfair when an impoverished people creates something beautiful but
> gets little economic benefit from it, while someone from a richer
> country/ethnicity comes along, reproduces it, and then makes a lot of money.

I can understand this sentiment if the derivative work is nothing more than a
copy. However this is an argument that's similar to the ones that proponents
of extending copyright forever make. It's just another form of gate keeping
and monopoly. Ideas should be shared and used. It helps promote and continue
innovation, and in this case share culture.

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ggchappell
The article compares Rodin's drawings of the Cambodian dancers with those by
Noël Dorville, but includes no images of the latter.

For the interested, I found this: [https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Tableau-Litho-
signee-mine-de-plomb-p...](https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Tableau-Litho-signee-mine-
de-plomb-par-Noel-DORVILLE-1874-1938-Danseuses-/401299383825)

Scroll down for larger images.

