Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture - Essay Example

Roland Robertson in his book Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (1992) define globalization as a process that depends on the local and the global in equal measure in the compression and intensification of the world. It is a process that takes place at different levels: the economic, political, environmental and cultural[Jon01]. It is without a doubt that the globalization has had both its positive and negative impact on the cultural diversity of all persons. Therefore the impact of globalization affects everyone, even though not in equal measure, thus the need to understand it. Comprehension of the concept would require a sense of specificity usually expressed from personal, which is something that art brings in the conveyance of the information (Marshall Pg.88). To understand the impact of globalization then, it would be prudent to factor in the impact of colonization given that it is the root of the globalization process. Globalization theme, in this paper, is centralized especially on the history of the Aboriginal Islanders and the modernization of the community. There are evident three features on which post-colonial artworks thrives: the impact of colonial power on their lives and family, depict modernization and analyze the power of colonialism through mimicry (Seppa, 2010). The focus of this paper therefore is to analyze how the theme of globalization has been presented through contemporary Australian Artists. This analysis will include the work of two contemporary artists: Julie Dowling and George Bennet whose background in Aboriginal communities has influenced their artworks in the post-colonial era. The basis of the analysis will be the impact of the colonial experiences to the Aboriginal people then related this experience to that which results from the globalization of the world. Julie Dowling was born Subiaco, Western Australia as part of the Aborigines community. Her cultural heritage as an Aboriginal Australian of Badimaya descent strongly impacts upon her subject matter something she describes as an extension to the oral history of her community. In her works, Dowling uses strategies and forms of imagination that the post-colonial situation of the Aborigines. Dowling seeks to create symbols and art from the colonized Aboriginal people’s perspectives especially given that her own family had been separated for nearly three generations. In her 1999 painting, Her Father’s Servant Dowling applies mimicry to describe the express the post colonization era to her community. The painting creates a sinister atmosphere, the shadows cast by the candlelight conveying anything but gaiety (National Gallery of Australia, 2010). The painting depicts Mary (the artist’s great grandmother) stands emotionally alone and adrift, though surrounded by her ‘family’, including her father, the master of the house (National Gallery of Australia, 2010). The displacement of the families has also impacted on the acquisition of aspects of other community’s values. The painting shows how Mary's status and position in her father's household shifted after he remarried. The young Mary is presented as a maidservant at her father's birthday party, setting plates for the stepmother and the step sister. The Australian Women Book Review (2007) reckons that these changes can be seen from the craped room with the other family member’s health and the father’s demeanor. The knife on the father’s plate can be seen as a symbol of power and force which represents the community’s tribulations under the oppression of the colonials and the church (). Also present in the painting is the impact of colonization where the community is left to be in solitude and homeless despite of being part of the family and in their own land/home. This is evident by the way Mary looks drifted from the rest of the family members. The painting, Her Fathers Servant, also seeks to bring the viewer to the attention on naturalization of the family and its “civilized” customs. Another set of work that can be used to illustrate the impact of colonization and consequently the result of globalization is the set of 150 portraits drawn by Julie Dowling. The 150 portraits depict the post-colonial experiences of the Aboriginal people by making reference to the ‘lost generations’. The art combines surrealist, social realist, and pop art elements to the Aboriginal visual patterns (dotting, circles, etc.) and traditional icon painting (Seppa, 2010). The portraits of children’s agenda is not to reveal the pious nature of Christianity but to show the plight of the (her) forgotten community. The portraits show Christianity as impure, not in its original pure form. The impurity of the Christianity/religion can be attributed to the use of religion by the colonizers to oppress the Aboriginal people. At the onset of its introduction by the missionaries, Christianity was it its pure form, however with colonization this changed. This is further enhanced by the visual materials that Dowling uses in creation of the portraits. A sense of a globalized artist can also be seen in the use of these materials. The artist has sourced materials from West African with elements of Celtic art (Seppa, 2010). This goes to show that artists are no longer working on the confines of their home country but are exploring new avenues from other places. George Bennet’s affiliation to the Aboriginal community is through his mother’s side. His father is white. Most of his work focuses on political and social issues through painting, video, printmaking, photography, performance, and installation (Seppa, 2010). Bennet considers his alignment to both the Aboriginal and English cultures as a way for him to express his works is a way that does not confine him to one particular culture. In this pursuit, Bennet once adopted a ‘proxy’ that expressed his point of view as an ordinary Australian citizen would. Bennet presents his work on post-colonial experience as a combination of the traditional (dotting, and traditional yellows and reds) and western techniques which clearly depicts the globalization impact on art (Seppa, 2010). In his 1987 work Coming to Light is a reflection of the post-colonial perspectives and the power of the colonialists. The painting depicts the stories of the colonizers, mostly ironically structured heroic stories. This piece of art shows the impact of the interactions of the Aboriginal people and the colonialists hence their ‘civilized’ nature. The painting shows a mirror at bottom left hand corner with blurred reflections and some painted words on it. The mirror is a representation of Bennett’s own mirror while the reflections can be interpreted to mean the Aboriginal people. The title of the artwork, as used by the Torres Strait Islanders, refers to the introduction of Christianity to the islands by the missionaries. The irony is that the light in the Christian perspective represents righteousness and the dark represents the evil side. The painting therefore illustrates the impact of the early Christianity on the indigenous community. This is the beginning of the globalization process. The Coming of the Light also relates to issues of religion in the Australian community. Religion too can be traced back to the globalization impact. The Coming of the Light centralizes the issue of colonization. The painting shows of a hand holding a torch, bringing light to the darkness and promising all humans better society and future (Seppa, 210) which the National Gallery of Australia has describes as a connotation of enlightenment. The light from this torch, as shown on the painting, reflects on a black surface that has writings that cannot be easily read (the contrasting element of enlightenment). The other white hand is a dog's collar that also functions as a hangman's noose for a black jack-in-the-box. The jack in the box, which represents a form of threat to the Aboriginal people, is surrounded by symbols and alphabets ABC. The use of the alphabets is a form of the enlightenment and depiction of a civilized society. The hangman noose shows that the same hand that brings the enlightenment is also the same hand that will cast a shadow of darkness to the ‘unenlightened’ population through violence and death. Bennet’s art however challenges this all positive enlightenment story. In this regard, the art shows that the best known form of enlightenment and civilization is through the use of the alphabetical characters. This goes to show that the very essence of the traditional cultures is eroded way and rather than the impact being an enrichment of their culture, the result is a suppression of their knowledge and belief systems (Seppa, 2010). Both Julie Dowling and Gordon Bennet have filial roots the Aboriginal community and the history of their communities has greatly impacted on their work and the message they put across in their work. Based on the art analyzed in this essay, it is evident that the end result of the colonization process had greatly impacted on the Religion and family attributes of the indigenous people. Colonization does represent a pathway into the impact of a globalized world. The impact is of a world where the assimilation and erosion of cultures and religion included can be traced. The end effect is the creation of new problems and issues to deal with than what the traditional communities have faced before. REFERENCES Jon01: , (Pickering, 2001), Read More

This is further enhanced by the visual materials that Dowling uses in creation of the portraits. A sense of a globalized artist can also be seen in the use of these materials. The artist has sourced materials from West African with elements of Celtic art (Seppa, 2010). This goes to show that artists are no longer working on the confines of their home country but are exploring new avenues from other places. George Bennet’s affiliation to the Aboriginal community is through his mother’s side.

His father is white. Most of his work focuses on political and social issues through painting, video, printmaking, photography, performance, and installation (Seppa, 2010). Bennet considers his alignment to both the Aboriginal and English cultures as a way for him to express his works is a way that does not confine him to one particular culture. In this pursuit, Bennet once adopted a ‘proxy’ that expressed his point of view as an ordinary Australian citizen would. Bennet presents his work on post-colonial experience as a combination of the traditional (dotting, and traditional yellows and reds) and western techniques which clearly depicts the globalization impact on art (Seppa, 2010).

In his 1987 work Coming to Light is a reflection of the post-colonial perspectives and the power of the colonialists. The painting depicts the stories of the colonizers, mostly ironically structured heroic stories. This piece of art shows the impact of the interactions of the Aboriginal people and the colonialists hence their ‘civilized’ nature. The painting shows a mirror at bottom left hand corner with blurred reflections and some painted words on it. The mirror is a representation of Bennett’s own mirror while the reflections can be interpreted to mean the Aboriginal people.

The title of the artwork, as used by the Torres Strait Islanders, refers to the introduction of Christianity to the islands by the missionaries. The irony is that the light in the Christian perspective represents righteousness and the dark represents the evil side. The painting therefore illustrates the impact of the early Christianity on the indigenous community. This is the beginning of the globalization process. The Coming of the Light also relates to issues of religion in the Australian community.

Religion too can be traced back to the globalization impact. The Coming of the Light centralizes the issue of colonization. The painting shows of a hand holding a torch, bringing light to the darkness and promising all humans better society and future (Seppa, 210) which the National Gallery of Australia has describes as a connotation of enlightenment. The light from this torch, as shown on the painting, reflects on a black surface that has writings that cannot be easily read (the contrasting element of enlightenment).

The other white hand is a dog's collar that also functions as a hangman's noose for a black jack-in-the-box. The jack in the box, which represents a form of threat to the Aboriginal people, is surrounded by symbols and alphabets ABC. The use of the alphabets is a form of the enlightenment and depiction of a civilized society. The hangman noose shows that the same hand that brings the enlightenment is also the same hand that will cast a shadow of darkness to the ‘unenlightened’ population through violence and death.

Bennet’s art however challenges this all positive enlightenment story. In this regard, the art shows that the best known form of enlightenment and civilization is through the use of the alphabetical characters. This goes to show that the very essence of the traditional cultures is eroded way and rather than the impact being an enrichment of their culture, the result is a suppression of their knowledge and belief systems (Seppa, 2010). Both Julie Dowling and Gordon Bennet have filial roots the Aboriginal community and the history of their communities has greatly impacted on their work and the message they put across in their work.

Based on the art analyzed in this essay, it is evident that the end result of the colonization process had greatly impacted on the Religion and family attributes of the indigenous people.

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