yaya edited writing rules!

yay thank so much kristina!!! my pal the new york free lance writer saves the day! check out my statement now: Ironic Hipsters and Bulul Woman and Child Criteria for viewing the work: Irony Nostalgia Indigenous empowerment Historic/Cultural commodity In the past two years I have been sewing Philippine artifacts based on my memory of real artifacts and on artifacts I have found auctioned online. In making ‘new artifacts’, I am nullifying the practice of exoticising the ‘indigenous’. With Bulul Woman and Child, I wanted to recreate an ancient artifact I encountered while living on a remote island in the Philippines several years ago. The artifact I recreated was a replica made from memory of a carved, wooden statue/deity found in a nearby village. It was a powerful, small-scale statue; its age commanding reverence and retrospection while its simple native craftsmanship called attention to the traditional. Homesickness drives my desire to recreate these artifacts. Although homesickness, even for a distant country, can be eased by watching imported local news on cable; satiating appetites for familiar food at immigrant shops and restaurants; and communicating via internet in real time video messenger conversations, by free phone calls (skype) or by instantly posting photos (myspace). The Internet is an excellent tool for finding artifacts. For tribal/exotic artifact collectors, it provides an abundance of ‘authentic’ carved statues and ancient beaded betel nut bags for sale. For the homesick researcher, it is a window to the homeland, the past and all its ideals. The problem with finding images of artifacts for auction online is the complete lack of education, scholarship or published reference about these artifacts. They are presented only as objects of commerce. The homogenizing of ‘native/tribal/indigenous’ people into the lump category of ‘exotic’ is also reflected in the piece with its mish mash/inaccuracy of native costuming. This lack of knowledge of indigenous culture enables me to produce my artifact. Sewn out of fabric and listed as an auction item on EBay, the piece mimics other cultural artifacts that are auctioned off to the highest bidder. The nostalgic intent of the piece comes from my desire to live the idealized past as present. My adherence to the traditional form it mimics combined with it being auctioned online, draws attention to the commoditization and plunder of traditional artifacts of cultural significance that occurs on a global scale. Dec. 2006 Nicole Tirona yay