[-empyre-] On Americanized Names

[Christina McPhee]

Naeem et al,

As threads are getting wonderfully knotted, here's the archive url if  
you want to unwind.


https://mail.cofa.unsw.edu.au/pipermail/empyre/2008-January/


c
On Jan 20, 2008, at 10:49 AM, Naeem Mohaiemen wrote:

> On Jan 17, 2008 5:08 AM, Cara Walz <bumblepuppy at kc.rr.com> wrote:
>> so and then moved back to this humble burg sporting the polish  
>> version
>> of his first name instead of the americanized one he used to go by.  
>> He
>> has been well received.
>
> This is an interesting topic that somehow digressed yet connected to
> Passport topic.
>
> I wonder if Cara meant "well received" as in his work or non- 
> americanized name?
>
> A year ago there was an invitation for a show for artists of "Muslim
> origin". The call for work was rather crudely worded, so the
> requirements were out in the open. Perhaps a more sophisticated
> treatment would have cloaked it in theorese.  I wrote a rather
> irritated/snarky response and then sat on it for a few weeks and in
> the end never sent.  This was because of few things that ocurred to
> me:
> - yes, it was a fetishizing category, but if it was a "way in" for
> others who might not otherwise be represented and therefore why should
> I be the grinch
> - the fact that i could reject such a call displayed my own privilege
> vis-a-vis opportunities
> - when the MOMA pulled together a similar show (although there the
> "origin" question was not so crudely placed), none of us protested
>
> Etc, etc various contradictory thoughts pulled at me and in the end
> the time to send that email response passed. When I went to the show
> opening, I saw several dear friends in the show. So that gave me more
> food for thought.
>
> The issue gets more complex also in Europe where funding can differ
> based on such criteria as well (or understandings of such
> criteria)....
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
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