katie_l's Profile

All of American history has been leading to this moment: "Hey guys, let's commit genocide, but not so much that we don't have a chance to commodify the culture we're wiping out! And as a real fuck you to native peoples, let's have someone else make the stuff so the people who originated the designs don't get any returns!"

end buzzkill

I do taxidermy for a museum, and decorating with natural curiosities raises several issues for me. First, I got into taxidermy because I am a biology student and I love the cultural history of natural history (curiosity cabinets, etc.) and the design/crafts side of it. I definitely experience the urge to collect but I've also seen the harm it can do when these types of things become fashionable and people don't take a strong conservation perspective. The commodification of things that were once living will always be a tough issue, especially when the context isn't considered (environmental issues, the integrity of the organism, etc.). Sometimes I get sad to see how popular this has become because I wonder about the origins of the pieces. Also, from a quality standpoint, a lot of the taxidermy you see--and it goes for a lot of money!--is pretty rotten work. Not to sound like an elitist jerk with an "I was there first" attitude, but lately I've been wishing this fad would go away and be left to those who know what's up and can participate responsibly...okay, I guess I do sound like a jerk.

obsessed with the hanging above the bed

Lots of that bothers me as well, but what makes this particularly irritating to me is the origins of graffiti as an art form for people in disenfranchised communities and the fact that it's being put on one of the ultimate upper-class consumer objects (one that serves no essential purpose to boot). The juxtaposition seems tastelessly Marie Antoinette to me.

This reminds me, does anybody know a good place to sell a suzani throw? My grandma gave me hers and told me to sell it for tuition money but I have no idea where to start.

What size were you looking for? I have a different Anthro rug that would definitely match and it doesn't go with my new place...