A New World Order? How the West Maintains its Privileged Position by: Jennifer Moreau A Theory on Theory (continued from page 21) It’s three lines, two blue and one red, and boy does it feel weird when you walk up to it. I, as a simple non theorist, can accept this as a suffi- cient explanation for Newman’s piece. And if someone wants to pay a significant sum of money for it, then fair enough - many people pay good money to feel weird, and I would be more than happy if some of my taxes went toward making the general populace feel weird. However this is obviously not enough to satisfy the bookkeepers, the excessively rich, the overtly wordy and the purveyors of Cognac and Gucci; this, in my own theory, is where theory comes in. Theory as well separates itself from the common viewing experience of art; I for one have never seen art theory posted up on walls beside art, so that viewers can establish the alleged stronger link which theory should provide a viewer for a work of art. In this way theory limits its audience to the peo- ple who will take the time required after they visit the gallery to run around to the art specialty book stores and find the theory books relevant to the art in which they are interested. The less than average gallery-goer, perhaps the person who may benefit the most from a solid explanation of contemporary art, would never do this; he or she would simply walk out of the gallery feeling confused and possibly cheated, and move on. Immediate solutions are required for those who do not under- stand contemporary art. However this may not be a part of theory’s mandate » to sufficiently explain otherwise confusing artworks to the unitiated. Therefore since the uninitiated do not fall into the category of those who would read or have access to theory, the- ory takes on a persona of the elitist speaking to the elitist. The theory circle becomes a closed circle, one whose arcane secrets remain the property of those who already know the artwork best. Could art live without theory? Undoubtedly so. But how would art live without theory? Very well; however art would lack the elitist substance which makes art a hobby for high end of society. Theory’s wordiness is a method of cutting itself off from the lesser rabble of the world; those who do not understand can be quickly dismissed from the circle. With the- ory widely available, as I stated, everyone would have access to appreciating the art at hand. However this has never really been the intention of theory or possibly even art in general. You may notice that I have made many generalizations without support- ing them with evidence; therefore, as I have come to accept, my statements are merely theoretical. What is white privilege? What kind of privilege do I, as a white woman, have that others do not? How will I know when I am exercising my privilege? What does it look like? Where does it come from? Is it legitimate, and most importantly, privilege at the expense of whom? The Wordsworth Concise English Dictionary defines privilege as, "an advantage, right or favor granted to or enjoyed by an individual, or a few, freedom from burden born by others, a sacred and vital civil right." It is interest- ing to note that privilege is "granted to or enjoyed by an individual or a few." But where exactly does this privilege come from? In order to be granted, it must be handed down from some higher authority or power. For those "few" who simply "enjoy" their privilege there must be some element of power separating them from everyone else, making them special recipients of privilege. If these "sacred and vital civil rights" are only enjoyed by a select few, how can equality exist? Equality maintains that everyone has equal civil rights, therefor the very concept of privilege is based on inequality. Any social organization that grants privileges to a select few is incapable of equality. Now lets look at racism. Racism is, "a belief in inherent superiority of some races over others, usually with the implication of right to rule." (Wordsworth Concise English Dictionary) "Inherent superiority" is a concept which conve- niently requires little justification. Beliefs that "some races" have a natural or "inherent superiority" over others puts "some races" in positions of power to exercise their "right to rule". Being in a dominant or ruling position of power, one is free to "enjoy" extra privileges inherent in inequitable power distributions. One also has the power to grant privi- leges to others deemed worthy. Racism, inequality and privi- lege are mutually dependent on each other for success. How does racism affect contemporary social orga- nization? To figure out where we are now, it always helps to examine at history and see how we got here. Over 500 years ago, Europeans set out to ‘explore’ the world. They traveled to virtually every corner of the globe; North America, South East Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. "the major theme of this Old World Order was a confrontation between conquerors and the conquered on a global scale. It has taken various forms and been given various names: imperialism, neo-colonialism, the North-South conflict, core versus periphery, G-7 (the leading state capitalist industrial societies and their satellites versus the rest.) Or, more simply, Europe’s conquest of the world." (Noam Chomsky) In order to justify European colonialism, racist views became essential to impe- rialist ideology. Manifest destiny beliefs of a god given right to civilize (according to European standards) "barbarous sav- ages" were convenient justifications to assert and maintain power. We can see today that the Old World Order has hardly changed. Europe and its colonies still enjoy privileged hierar- chical global positions and higher standards of living. The fact that most of the first world is white and most of the third world is not, attests to the prevalence of global racism. As a white woman living in Canada, I am living proof of European invasion. The genocide that soaks Canadian history with the blood of first nations people is proof of the brutal and vio- lent nature of colonialism. Racism is the theory, white supremacy is the practice. The institution of white supremacy has the power to grant individuals privileges or advantages. Part of being white, or a member of the dominant culture, includes privi- leges related to having more power than others. It is extreme- ly important to remember that privilege is based in inequality. Photo by Jennifer Moreau TH While white privilege is advantageous to whites, racism is dis- advantageous to People of Color. The distribution or "granti- ng" of white privilege to other whites ensures that racist hier- archies will remain intact, from the most basic everyday inter- actions, to the New World Order. Is white privilege legitimate? Something so obvi- ously racist and oppressive could easily be criticized on the grounds that it is harmful to everyone who isn’t white, but the power dynamics further complicate the issue. It is gener- ally assumed that a dominant group enjoys freedom while an oppressed group does not. Upon closer examination we see that this relationship is a myth. In Angela Davis’ Lectures On Liberation she uses the master-slave relationship to illustrate an important point about freedom, "(the master) feels himself free because he is able to control the lives of others. HE IS FREE AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER. The slave expe- riences the freedom of the master in its true light. He under- stands that the masters freedom is abstract freedom to sup- press other human beings. The slave understands that this is a pseudo concept of freedom and at this point is more enlight- ened than his master for he realizes that the master is a slave of his own misconceptions, his own misdeeds, his own brutal- ity, his own effort to oppress." (my emphasis) So on a surface level we see white privilege as founded in racism and hence illegitimate but on closer examination we see that it also entraps the oppressor as well as the oppressed. No one is free. continued on page 28 26 Influx: Magazine February 1999 We renounce in sculpture, the mass as a sculptural element. wt is known to every engineer that the static forces of a solid body and its material strength do not depend on the quan- tity of the mass... example:; a rail, a T-beam, etc. But you sculptor of all shades and directions, you still adhere to the age-old prejudice that you cannot free the volume of mass. Here (in this exhibition) we take four planes and we con- Struct with them the same volume as of four tonnes of mass. Thus we bring back to sculpture the line as a direc- tion and in it we affirm depth as the one form of space. We renounce the thousand-year old delusion in art that = held the static rhythms as the only elements of the plastic and pictorial arts. We affirm in these art a new element the kinetic rhythms as the basic forms of our perception of real time. These are the five fundamental principles of our work and our constructive technique. QUOTES Down with art, long live technology! Given the devel- opment of technology, art as a form of cognition is ing out, and technology and invention are taking over. The artist is a primitive, a brush juggler, a deceiver, a parasite, and a fraud. loganseon The tempo of our age is fast and dynamic, its rhythm is dear, precise, linear, and mathematical, the structure of the objects created by contemporary artisits is deter- mined by the material and by practical needs. A Theory on Theory (continued from page 21) It's three lines, two blue and one red, and boy does it feel weird when you walk up to it. asa simple non theorist, can accept this a a sul cient explanation for Newman’s piece. And if someone wants to pay a significant sum of money for it, then fair enough - ‘many people pay good money to feel weird, and I would be ‘more than happy if some of my taxes went toward making the general populace feel weird. However this is obviously not ‘enough to satisfy the bookkeepers, the excessively rich, the ‘overtly wordy and the purveyors of Cognac and Gucci this, in ‘my own theory is where theory comes i, ‘Theory as well separates itself from the common viewing experience of art; for one have never seen art theory posted up on walls beside art, so that viewers can establish the alleged stronger link which theory should provide a viewer for 1 work of at. In this way theory limits its audience tothe peo- ple who will ake the time required after they visit the gallery to run around to the art specialty bookstores and find the theory ‘books relevant to the art in which they are intrested The less than average gallery-goer, perhaps the person who may benefit the most from a solid explanation of contemporary art, would never do this; he or she would simply walk out of the gallery feeling confused and possibly cheated, and move on Immediate solutions are required for those who do not under- stand contemporary at. However this may not be a part of theory’s mandate » 10 sufficiently explain otherwise confusing artworks to the luntated. Therefore since the uninitiated do not fall into the category of those who would read or have access to theory the- ‘ory takes on a persona of the elitist speaking tothe elitist The theory circle becomes a closed circle, one whose arcane secrets remain the property of those who aleeady know the artwork best Could art live without theory? Undoubtedly so. But how would art live without theory? Very wells however art would lack the elitist substance which makes arta hobby for high end of society. Theory’s wordiness is a method of cuting itself off from the leser rabble ofthe world; those who do not understand can be quickly dismissed from the circle. With the- cory widely available as I stated, everyone would have access to appreciating the art at hand, However this has never really been the intention of theory or possibly even art in general. You may notice that I have made many generalizations without support- ing them with evidence; therefore, as Lave come to accept, my statements are merely theoretical. 2 long dete tne, photocopy. and excise DEATH ART Aleksei Gan 1922 26 Influx! Magazine February 1999 by: Jennifer Moreau ‘What is white privilege? What kindof privilege do I,as a white woman, have that others do not? How will Know when I am exercising my privilege? What docs it look like? Where does it come from? Ist legitimate, and most importantly, privilege at the expense of whom? ‘The Wordsoorth Concise English Dictionary defines privilege as, “an advantage, right or favor granted to or ‘enjoyed by an individual, or a few, freedom from burden ‘born by others a sacred and vital iil right.” It is interest ing to note that privilege is "granted to or enjoyed by an individual or a few" But where ex ‘come from? In order to be granted, it must be handed down from some higher authority or power. For those “few” who ‘simply “enjoy” their privilege there must be some clement of, power separating them from everyone else, making them recipients of privilege. If these "sacred and vital civil are only enjoyed by a select few, how can equality ‘xis? Equality maintains that everyone has equal civil tights, therefor the very concept of privilege is based on ‘inequality: Any social organization that grants privileges to a select few is incapable of equality. Now lets look at racism, Racism is, “a belie in inherent superiority of some races over others usually with (Wrdseorth Concise English ‘the implication of right to rule Dictionary) hhave a natural or “inherent superiority" over others puts “some races in positions of power to exerese thei right to rule. Being in a dominant or ruling postion of power, one is free to “enjoy” extra privileges inherent in inequitable power distributions, One also has the power to grant privi- leges to others deemed worthy: Racism, inequality and privi- lege are mutually dependent on each other for success. iow does racism affect contemporary social orga- nization? To figure out where we ae now, it always helps to ‘examine at history and see how we got here. Over 500 years ‘ago, Europeans set out ro ‘explore’ the world. They traveled to virtually every corner ofthe globe; North America, South [East Asia, Australia, Afica and South America, "the major theme of ths Old World Order was a confrontation between conquerors and the conquered on a global scale. It has taken various forms and been given various names: imperialism, ‘nco-colonialism, the North-South conflict, core versus periphery, G-7 (the leading state capitalist industrial societies and their satellites versus the rest.) Ors more simply, Europe's ‘conquest ofthe world." (Noam Chomsky) In order to justify, European colonialism, racist views became essential to impe= ‘alist ideology. Manifest destiny beliefs of a god given right to civilize (according to Europea standards) "barbarous sav- ages" were convenient justifications to assert and maintain power, We ean see today that the Old World Order has hardly ‘hanged. Europe and its colonies stil enjoy privileged hierar- chica global postions and higher standards of living. The fact that mos ofthe frst world is white and most of the third world isnot attests tothe prevalence of global racism. As a white woman living in Canada, I am living proof of European invasion. The genocide that soaks Canadian history with the blood of first nations people is proof of the brutal and vio- lent nature of colonialism. Racism isthe theory, white supremacy i the practice. “The institution of white supremacy has the power to grant individuals privileges or advantages. Part of being white, or a member of the dominant culture, includes privi- Jeges related to having more power than others, Its extreme ly important to remember that privilege is based in inequality ‘We renounce in sculpture, the mass as a sculptural element. lt Is known to every engineer thatthe static forces ofa solid body and its material strength do not depend on the quan- tity ofthe mass. example: ara, a T-beam, et. But you ‘xulptor ofall shades and directions, you stil adhere tothe ‘age-old prejudice that you cannot fre the volume of mass. Here (in this exhibition) we take four planes and we con- struct with them the same volume 2s of four tonnes of ‘mass. Thus we bring back to sculpture the line as a direc- tion and in it we affirm depth as the one form of space. i g A New World Order? How the West Maintains its Privileged Position While white privilege is advantageous to whites racism is dis- advantageous to People of Color. The distribution or "granti- ing” of white privilege to other whites ensures that racist hier archies will remain inact, from the most basic everyday inter~ factions, to the New World Order, 1s white privilege legitimate? Something so obvi- ‘ously racist and oppressive could easily be eritcized on the grounds that itis harmful to everyone who isn’t white but the power dynamics further complicate the issue. Is gener- ally assumed that a dominant group enjoys freedom while an ‘oppressed group does not. Upon closer examination we see ‘that this relationship is a myth. In Angela Davis" Leerures On Liberation she uses the master-slave relationship to illustrate ‘an important point about freedom, "(the master) fels himself free because he is able to control the lives of others. HE IS FREE AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER The slave expe- ences the freedom ofthe master in its tue light. He under- stands tha the masters freedom is abstract freedom to sup- press other human beings. Te slave understands that this s pseudo concept of freedom and at this point is more enlight feed than his master for he realizes thatthe master isa slave ‘of is own misconceptions, his own misdeeds, his own brutal= ity his own effort to oppress." (my emphasis) So on a surface level we see white privilege as founded in racism and hence legitimate but on closer examination we see that it also entraps the oppressor as well a the oppressed. No one is free. continued on page 28 QUOTES with art, ong live technology! Given the devel- ‘opment of technology, art as a form of cognition is ‘ut, and technology and invention are taking over. artist is a primitive, a brush juggler, a deceiver, a barasite, and a fraud. loganson