Discuss the appropriation of motifs from Indigenous art and craft. Select examples from four different cultures; provide images. Consider the role of social media and reflect on whether it is possible to protect the symbolic copyright of motifs attributed to Indigenous peoples.

Essay
A list of possible topics is printed below. Essays will not be accepted that are on topics that have not been approved. You may not use textbooks, encyclopedias, lecture notes, required readings/films or material from websites that do not provide endnotes or footnotes. Craft magazines are acceptable as long as they’re properly referenced. If in doubt, consult me.
Essays should be 2,000-2,500 words long and should include images. Late papers will be penalized 2% per day, including weekends. Papers must have references (footnotes or endnotes) for all material that is not common knowledge, as well as for quotations. The MLA Style Manuals should be used and references must include page numbers for the fact or quotation cited. You must retain all research notes and drafts until the end of the course.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. Assignments that contain any evidence of plagiarism may be given a grade of ‘0’ and additional penalties also may be imposed by the University, including expulsion. All notes and drafts for the essay must be kept until the end of the course in case there is a situation requiring you to prove that the essay is your work. If you have any questions about plagiarism, speak to the instructor before submitting an assignment.

Essay Topics (Choose ONE)

1. Interview a professional craftsperson (one who makes their living through making a craft and may supplement income by teaching or writing). The essay should include a brief biography, description of their practice and examples of their work including images. Record the interview so that you can incorporate the artist’s words in your essay. Describe how the craftsperson addresses one of the themes of the course e.g. race, gender, sustainability.

2. Choose a craft practice that is part of your culture or heritage. Describe its history, elements, process and practitioners. If possible, speak to someone maintaining the practice. Discuss how the craft and its practice connect to issues in this course and give examples of the work, including images.

3. Textiles have been used for political purposes. Select examples dating from 1970 to the present and consider their details: maker, materials, size, number of people involved, theme or cause for which they were made. Include images. Consider whether the work’s message was successful and, if it was, why.

4. Describe the principles of the American Arts & Crafts movement. Research and write about furniture designed/made by the Shakers, Gustav Stickley, Frank Lloyd Wright and the Greene Brothers. Briefly discuss the designers but concentrate on the designs, materials, colours and the buildings the furniture was intended for (if applicable). Show how the furniture exemplifies Arts & Crafts.

5. Discuss the appropriation of motifs from Indigenous art and craft. Select examples from four different cultures; provide images. Consider the role of social media and reflect on whether it is possible to protect the symbolic copyright of motifs attributed to Indigenous peoples.

6. Craft is gendered. Research several cultures in which certain crafts are proscribed as male or female. Then provide examples of women and men who have gone against social norms regarding who does what. Consider the difficulties of going against the grain. Practices can be traditional or contemporary.

7. Craft practice produces stuff. How can a practitioner ensure that their practice is sustain- able and their work is not more landfill? Address this topic by carefully reviewing the literature on sustainability and applying it specifically to your practice. Describe processes and works in your portfolio that you consider sustain-able. Your views should be backed up by scholarly research.

8. Racial identity inspires the work of craftspeople worldwide. Select six practitioners whose race has a direct bearing on their designs and, wherever possible, use direct quotations about this theme from the maker. Discuss the work by means of words and images and consider why public display of the work is important.