Between 1990 and today, the small town of Bàu Trúc just south of Vietnam’s central highlands, has experienced drastic economic growth from increased sales of ceramic art. Based on four months of ethnographic research, interviews conducted from the US, my study revisited how different notions ‘authenticity’ shape how art is produced and its interpretation. Examining the various meanings of ‘authentic’ for the producer and consumer, this study argues that the concept ‘authenticity’ fosters development on local, national and international scales. Engaging the discourses that problematize notions of authenticity, my paper argued that ‘authenticity’ gives otherwise disadvantaged producers the ability to influence the price of their goods, the interpretation of their art and the development of their culture within Vietnam and the globe.
Posted by Tim Robinson '14 My inspiration for this study stems almost entirely from Sa Kaya, cited above by her Vietnamese name, Lo Minh Hoang Tran. Fearing the dissipation of the Champa minority’s traditions and culture, Sa Kaya and myself spent many nights discussing the myriad of factors contributing to the loss of the Champa language and religion among this minority’s youth. In the context of the Vietnamese system of education, contemporary increases in mobility and modern entities like Facebook and cheap cell phones, we quickly realized the vast complexity of the issue. Consequently, my study focused on just one contributing aspect: the recent boom of ceramic art production and its impact on tourists and the preservation of Champa culture.
Between 1990 and today, the small town of Bàu Trúc just south of Vietnam’s central highlands, has experienced drastic economic growth from increased sales of ceramic art. Based on four months of ethnographic research, interviews conducted from the US, my study revisited how different notions ‘authenticity’ shape how art is produced and its interpretation. Examining the various meanings of ‘authentic’ for the producer and consumer, this study argues that the concept ‘authenticity’ fosters development on local, national and international scales. Engaging the discourses that problematize notions of authenticity, my paper argued that ‘authenticity’ gives otherwise disadvantaged producers the ability to influence the price of their goods, the interpretation of their art and the development of their culture within Vietnam and the globe. |
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