It has been such a long time since I’ve walked into a museum that I don’t even recall being in one at all. Considering that, I visited the Museum of Anthropology at UBC open-minded, and to my surprise, I found many fascinating displays there, one of which was the Arts of Resistance exhibit. Curated by Laura Osorio Sunnucks, this exhibit presents symbols of Latin American history and culture through stories that resonate with modern political issues around the world. These symbols, in the form of traditional apparel, paintings, and religious figures, are acts of “resistance to dominant cultural and political forces” (Osorio Sunnucks, 2018) in their respective communities.
Self-Liberation
Amidst the many pieces of art, the display that caught my attention was a collection of ceramics that belong to Chilean refugees, Adam and Irene Policzer, who fled to Vancouver during the overthrow of socialism and rise of a new fascist government in the early 1970s. Titled “Matter of Emotion,” these ceramics indirectly convey the Policzers’ story of escape from the far-right nation that they no longer considered home. As a second-generation Chinese immigrant, I can relate to this act of self-liberation as my parents immigrated to Vancouver from China, which was and still is governed by a communist party. Personally, I see the Policzers’ artwork as a reminder that allows me to recollect my family history and be grateful that I live in a country with many freedoms that may also be celebrated by the artists. However, it raises the concern that not all people fleeing from oppression experience straightforward migrations as the Policzers or my parents may have gone through. How many emigrants flee from danger unnoticed? What about the people who migrate but face harsh realities that are not much more liberating than their life in the country they fled from? Ultimately, the ceramics are a symbol to remind us not only of those who experience adversity after immigration, but to also shed light on those who could not flee and lived with ongoing oppression in the rise of Fascist Chile.
“Matter of Emotion” by Adam and Irene Policzer
Resistance
After the coup of Chile’s socialist president in 1973, Adam was imprisoned by fascists for being a leftist. Though it’s unclear of when and how he was released, fleeing to Canada with Irene was his way of refusing to conform to the new government’s standards. I noticed that this was a theme which perfectly illustrated the name of the exhibit, “Arts of Resistance.” In addition, I found it interesting that the artwork’s description noted how the ceramics were made in rural Chile. I see significance in this as a rural place may be associated with freedom and independence. In contrast, an urban society can be tied to corruption and dependence on elites. The irony in all of this is that the Policzers fled from a region of political instability but kept with them pieces of art that represent peace and emancipation. Perhaps this is a broader depiction of resistance where the Policzers are in denial and refusing to believe that their home country has evolved into one so unfamiliar. Overall, the concept of resistance is deeply embedded in this art, whether it is obvious or not, as portrayed especially through the tales which are expressed through the seemingly plain ceramics.
References
Museum of Anthropology at UBC. (2018). Arts of Resistance – Museum of Anthropology at
UBC. [online] Available at: https://moa.ubc.ca/exhibition/arts-of-resistance/ [Accessed
29 Sep. 2018].
Osorio Sunnucks, L. (2018). Arts of Resistance. [Politics and the Past in Latin America] Vancouver,
BC: Museum of Anthropology.