Rock Art Aesthetics and Cultural Appropriation

Abstract

Marks on rocks, painted, engraved, or sculpted, human beings find useful and to transform it can be found worldwide, wherever there are suitfor their own use in ways that other species able surfaces. In modem times, archaeologists supposedly cannot even imagine.2 and anthropologists increasingly have begun To appropriate something is to make it one's studying such marks in relation to their material property, which entails a right to privileged use and social contexts, insofar as available. Freand to restrict access to it. Generally, this right quently, such marks, moreover, display values is claimed on basis of transfer in course such as representational realism, abstraction of of legitimate purchase, gift, profit or earnings, figures, attention to line and paint application, traditional ownership, and, ultimately, through concern with quality of surfaces upon original acquisition from the storehouse of which paintings or engravings are placed, comnature.3 When appropriation is seen as morally position, and so on, any of which values may problematic, this is because it is perceived as elicit aesthetic appreciation. 1 not legitimate, not fair, or, in general, not attenAlthough apparently benign, such attention to tive to rights and needs of those with prior marks on rocks from aesthetic point of view claims to items appropriated. Notoriously, may become subject to criticism, because it appropriation of indigenous peoples' lands may be supposed to entail a (problematic) form in Americas and Australia, on basis of a of cultural appropriation. In following, I begin false application of concept of terra nullius, by briefly reviewing notion of cultural is a case in point. appropriation and circumstances under which it may be seen as problematic. After this, ii. Cultural appropriation and its problems. In I take note of claims to effect that rock art 1990s, appropriation of culture, that is, aesthetics entails problematic cultural appropricultural appropriation, came into spotlight ation and show that, given proper care, in countries such as Canada, United States, alleged problems can be avoided. I conclude by and Australia in context of acquisition arguing that a strong case can be made for and transformation by members of mainstream aesthetic appreciation of marks on rocks. society of ideas, images, and art styles originally generated by indigenous peoples and other minority groups. Criticisms have been raised, I. APPROPRIATION AND CULTURAL APPROPRIATION for example, with regard to stories adopted (and adapted) from certain Canadian First Nations i. Appropriation. As of late, appropriation as groups; paintings reflecting imagery found on such has been treated as problematic on West Coast Native totem poles; and music, such basis that it is equated with an illegitimate boras blues, originally created by African rowing or taking of a valued item. Nonetheless, Americans.4 until recently, appropriation had been considered Cultural appropriation may be seen as probin a positive light, and even as a telltale mark of lematic in at least three ways. First, when humanity. It was understood to be a special cultural appropriation is perceived as illegitcapacity to separate out from nature what imate taking of a cultural good, it constitutes