Visualising the merging of culture from an ‘other’ perspective

Abstract

This paper reflects on the challenges of cultural identity in an increasingly globalised society. As the individual questions their identity within a surge of globalisation, and with it a dominant Western viewpoint, so visual studies of imagined visual identities emerge. In an attempt to understand the implications of emerging cultural identities that question Western dominance, the work of the following visual artists working in the medium of photography are considered, namely Cristina de Middel, specifically her work The Afronauts; Andrew Putter, specifically his work African Hospitality; and Sarah Keogh, specifically her work Multi-culturally Modernised. In order to address globalisation and cross-cultural appropriation or multiculturalism, the paper firstly reflects on the understanding of cultural identity and cultural integration. It secondly reflects on an understanding of the visual as a form of cultural identity and discusses examples of appropriation of culture within imagery displaying a cross-cultural visual communication context. These visual communicators predominantly use photography within a context that does not afford the Western perspective prime position. The significance of the study lies in the fact that the visual message being communicated has the ability to reflect on both political and cultural ideologies giving advantage to a non-Western perspectiveIn hierdie navorsing word die uitdagings van kulturele identiteit in ʼn toenemende globale samelewing gereflekteer. Soos die individu sy eie identiteit bevraagteken binne die opwelling van globalisering vanuit n oorheersende westerlike oogpunt, so verrys die visuele ondersoek na denkbeeldige visuele identiteite. In ʼn poging om die gevolgtrekking van ineengesmelte kuturele identiteite wat Westerse dominasie bevraagteken te verstaan, word die volgende visuele medelers wat in die medium van fotografie werk, naamlik Cristina de Middel se Afronauts, Andrew Putter se African Hospitality en Sarah Keogh se Multi-culturally Modernised, in ag geneem. Om sodoende globalisering en die toe-eiening van ʼn kruis kulturele of veelsoortige kultuur aan te spreek, beoog die navorsing eerstens om kulturele identiteite en kulturele integrasie te begryp. Tweedens word die begrip van die visuele as ʼn vorm van kulturele identiteit bepeins en bespreek dit die toe-eiening van kultuur wat kruis kulturele visuele kommunikasie uitbeeld. Hierdie visuele medelers gebruik oorwegend fotografie binne die konteks wat nie die Westerse perspektief as aanvangspunt aandui nie. Die belang van die studie lê in die feit dat die visuele boodskap wat uitgebeeld word die vermoë het om beide politieke en kulturele ideologieë te weerspieël wat nie ʼn Westerse uitgangspunt bevoordeel nie.