(no subject)
Is anyone else disturbed by the trend to cut up antique Saris (and other textiles) and make them into expensive curtains for western households? How about beautiful idols and other ritual and religious items relegated to collectables and kitschy home decor? The west is pillaging the world through retail, and those who sell the items to wholesalers probably aren't making much. Check out e-bay for plunder from the world’s bazaars at a 25% of retail, antiques and hand-made pieces -rugs, masks, textiles, furniture, sculpture, art- from Africa, Asia, the Mid-East and South America. It's a creepy new form of imperialism. We export McDonalds (and movies of marginal quality) and import gilded 18th century statues of the Buddha. I love pretty things and would be in a real moral quandary, but even at a quarter of the price I can still only afford knock-offs.