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"It's Art" Versus Art History Nerdery

10/23/2013

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Hitler shirts- nazi - shirts- Thailand - Thai - 7 star - shop - art - Bangkok - Udon Thani - sale- st. village 13 - nazisScreenshot Seven Star's shop, October 23, 2013
October 23, 2013
"It is art," says Hitler shirt design creator Ekachai Usapanitch of Seven Star in response to the international controversy generated by his shirts with the Hitler cartoons (video below.)

By now Ekachai has been informed about the seriousness of using this image, and yet he and it still persists.  "It is art," is the only reason he gives to justify his standpoint.  Just to be kind, we'll let him have that point.



Does the "It is art" standpoint shield him from criticism?  Absolutely not.

Many times, artists have been criticized for the content of their work, some even invite controversy as a way of self-promotion or for purer motives like starting a discussion about an issue.  Ekachai has expressed no reason behind using this image.  While the image may gain popularity by Westerners' criticism of it, that's a risk that is worth taking if the alternative is to say nothing.

Once an artist's work goes into the World, it is then up to people to evaluate it.  It can be labeled art and still be bad and/or offensive.  By using this image and continuing to produce these shirts, we have every right to voice our opinions, and with the global market these shirts are not just a Thailand issue as some have been sold on eBay internationally.  The Hitler Ronald McDonald sculpture was sold to someone in Germany.

Hitler- McDonald- Ronald - Nazi - Germany - Thailand - Thai - German - Thailand - Terminal 21 - Nazis - Nazi -
Seven Star, October 23, 2013 screenshot. We have lots of them!
To state the point plainly: using the image of a mass murderer thoughtlessly is just offensive to those that suffered, died and to people that believe in human decency, even if it is art.  That goes for Che Guevara shirts too.

Now that we've decimated the "It is art" argument, let's move on.  This image spreads ignorance and gives a platform for hate speech.  Anyone that has read more than a few YouTube comments knows that it does not take much to create a platform for racist and hate speech and even Thai videos about Hitler have attracted it.  Why put more ugliness and ignorance into the World, it's already an abundant renewable resource.

Finally, the history and culture of this image does not belong to Thailand. While that does not mean that people cannot use images from other cultures, it is extremely important to be mindful when using images from them.  It is perfectly acceptable to criticize McDonald's as it is a large chain in Thailand which effects the Thai people; Hitler did not directly effect Thailand.  To use these images as thoughtlessly and profit from them is not okay. 




One final thought for today from Elie Wiesel. The Gates of the Forest. Canada: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, Inc., 1966.
And I tell you this: if their death has no meaning, then it's an insult, and if it does have a meaning, it's even more so.
There's a really good article about cultural exchange versus cultural appropriation here: http://goodmenproject.com/ethics-values/hesaid-whats-the-difference-between-cultural-exchange-and-cultural-appropriation/
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Pre-Pre Production and Kickstarter

10/20/2013

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PSA< Thailand, Thai, Nazi, PSA, TV, Fashion, Hitler, History, HipstersStep three of three thousand, story boards.
October 21, 2013
Our biggest action this school year will be the production of a thirty second public service announcement on Thai TV.  Can this issue be explained in thirty seconds?  Uh-uh. 

Our position in the Foundation-erse is unique.  We are the first foundation dealing with this issue specifically in Thailand, for the benefit of Thailand as well as spreading awareness.  Our main audience for the finished film is the people that would wear Nazi items, but we are also looking to attract Educators and donors to our website and cause.

The story (no spoilers) is meant to attract people's attention, give a bit of information and get people talking.  If we are really lucky, maybe we can get it to go viral. 

Writing the script and story-boarding has to serve two purposes simultaneously, we need to write the story for Thai TV and we need to have a way to pitch it to an international pool of supporters. We're going to use kickstarter.com to fund this project as this is going to be on a much larger scale than our previous projects.

We have two questions for you.  We will be casting to shoot in January/February (one day shoot) any actresses that are Western or half Thai that are interested should contact us.  We will also be putting together a video for Kickstarter to ask for support of the project.  This video should be about four minutes or less so its scope is going to be limited.  There are a few directions we can go with it, and some of the ideas can be combined.

Our Inception
We haven't even shared this on the Internet yet.  The story of why RHEA was founded, by whom and the events surrounding that. 

Defining the Problem
While a quick Google can show someone the background and growth of the problem, we still want to show the size, scope and give a sense of urgency to others, both in Thailand and elsewhere.  Our last video explains the timeline and we could use parts of that (posted in previous blog post and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDCaL9-AhA0)

Telling the Story
The words "educational video" and "fun" rarely go together and when you add the idea of the Holocaust, it seems pretty bleak.  Knowing our audience, a fun story must be the thread that puts our content together, and that idea is what we hope to be our secret to success.

It's Thailand
Perhaps our location is what will appeal to others.

    Which Ideas do you think are the Best to Advertise our Project on Kickstarter?

    We really want your imput! When you complete this form, you'll get a link to the best non-cat GIF ever posted on the Internet ever, promise.
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Q&A Video, The Responsible History Education Action Answers All 

10/14/2013

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Hitler-Nazi-Thai-Thailand-Bangkok-youtube-hate-speech-Chiang Mai
In our latest video, we present a timeline of Nazi images used in Thailand and answer a few questions people have asked us, please excuse the exaggeration in the title.

We'd still like to have a photo of the Nazi Bar in Bangkok that was around in 1988, so if you have one we can put it in the video.  Also, if you have a question that we left unanswered, let us know.
  The link to the Nazi Bar article is in the youtube description.

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Any Pictures? Any Info?

10/13/2013

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Picture
We're making our next video that will explain the history of Nazi and Hitler images in Thailand. The video about fashion will still be made as well, so you'll see both soon.

One fact we've verified is that during the 1980s there was a Nazi Bar in Bangkok.  However, we cannot find any photos of it.  If you have one or know where a photo may be, please let us know.

Also, we've discovered that the information about the Bangkok school that had a Nazi themed Sports Day in 2007 has mostly disappeared.  We have enough information already but if you know why this may have happened please tell us.

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Spotted in Siam

10/8/2013

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Hitler-Nazi-Bangkok-Shirt-Thailand-2013-Paragon-Thai-NaziHe looks confused, which makes sense.
As flood warnings have gone out to riverside Bangkokians, we decided to stockpile cheese and non-Barilla pasta just as a precaution which meant a trip to Siam Paragon.  As part of what we do, we looked through the shops at Siam Square for any signs of Hitler-wear on sale and did not find any.  But there was a sighting... Here's a first-hand account of what happened:

I was walking between Siam Center and Paragon and there was a concert there, drawing a big crowd and making it difficult to get around.  When I was just at the door to enter Paragon, I saw someone in one of the shirts pictured below.  Why I decided to chase him with my camera phone, I don't know but it seemed like the thing to do at the time.  With tons of people around it was pretty safe but difficult to get a shot.  When I finally managed to get in between all the people moving around, there was absolutely no way to be inconspicuous nor to get more than one shot. It made me really nervous, and he was as well... He responded with the Thai smile that means "What on Earth?!"  While it's really difficult not to smile back, I frowned and furrowed my brow.  People were moving every which way so I then left. 

We hope to show people that they have better choices and that we can all gain something by learning about each other's cultures.  The man in the picture probably got a few confused looks that day considering that this area is full of foreigners.  While we're not big enough to attract Google's attention yet, we hope that maybe the reactions he got might make him look into what all the fuss is about.  We're also not suggesting that anyone play paparazzi, but if you do get a photo of something like this on the street, by all means send it to us. 

Hitler-Nazi-McDonalds-Shirt-Nazi-Thai-Thailand-Shop-Sale-
The type of shirt the man in the blurry photo was wearing.
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Talking Subculture

10/7/2013

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PictureFrom Japan, but really!? We're speechless.
It seems that the group of people in Thailand that consider Nazi and Hitler items to be fashion are part of a subculture. That may sound like good news (and it is partly because not everyone is wearing this stuff) but it is harder in some ways to reach out to a smaller more niche group.  Globalization and the retro craze have made all sorts of things crossover and things get a bit complicated.

The closest comparison with this subculture would be to punk, as the music and the crossover into art seem similar (disagree? Let us know in the comments!)  And so, we're off to study this working theory and this Thai subculture further.


Picture
Picture
Perhaps with the Worldwide retro fashion craze nothing is dead (even though we're really hoping harem pants are.)  Originally, a few of the early punks of the 1970s did wear swastikas on shirts, usually they were handmade and almost all of them were destroyed after the marker fumes wore off and people came to their senses.  The one thing the retro craze can't bring back is context, and that is something that gets lost in time and translation.

Our next project is still being researched, and it's on this very subject. While its necessary to give the history and context, we want to lighten things up and make it fun and hopefully reach the people that might be influenced by punk.  We're by no means anti-expression nor anti-punk but a good look at meaning and message is necessary.
red hair post punk
The author, if only to prove that we're totally okay with looking funny.
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