- When using images for inspiration, ensure you go to the source of the image and learn as much about the culture as possibleIn order to be culturally sensitive and perform creative sensitivity, it’s important to understand not only the meaning of the item to a particular culture, but to understand the culture itself in order to understand it’s significance more-so. Simply using one image as inspiration without cultural context makes cultural misappropriation a very likely result.
- If there is an element of a persons cultural attire / costume that you like / want to incorporate into your fashion piece / art, ensure to research into it’s individual cultural significance. And check it’s significance in multiple cultures as often, many cultures share common sacred objects with totally different meanings.
- If you cannot find any information first time around, search for the basics and describe.Describing the item into google will often get you the results you need!
- If you have done all the research, weigh up if you think it’s culturally sensitive to use the piece in the context with your work.
This of course is not a clear line to cross, but ensure that you don’t feel like you are misrepresenting said item or belittling the culture in any way.
Join the cause against cultural appropriation:
https://www.change.org/p/you-as-an-individual-pledge-against-cultural-misappropriation?recruiter=368991040&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_email_responsive&utm_content=nafta_copylink_shortlink_1%3Acontrol
the Creative Sensitivity project 