deco-spicable
I saw the most bizarre thing at the store last night.
I was in the section of a store where you find baskets and dishes and other household goods. There was a small rack with decorative stickers entitled “the art of deco”. There was a sort of “cottage in the woods” theme, a “fish bones” theme, a “Santa Claus” theme, and then….
there was the 9-11 theme!
The heading read “US Under Attack”. I was shocked. We took a picture of it to prove to you that it was real.
My senior year in college, I worked in the World Trade Center. (building 1, 55th floor)
I later worked in the building next door (90 Church Street) and would have been there that day if not for the fact that I transferred uptown after my last maternity leave. My colleagues who were still working downtown, looked out the window and saw people jumping from the first building hit, to escape the flames and meet their death below.
What exactly is decorative about buildings burning? Who would want to paste pictures on their wall of death and destruction?
What does this assortment say about……Malaysians?
I think it’s safe to say that anyone I know, be they Malaysian or expatriate, would be as outraged to see those stickers as I was.
9 comments:
Terri,
Unbelievable. Pretty insane I would say and quite sick actually. Let's hope that most of the other customers have the same reaction that you and I had...
Salam, was the deco under children section or adult? Either way, that was very insensitive .. where are they supposed to be hung up, they would not have fit anywhere?
am totally horrified, Terri and think you should highlight this in the press.
you should also ping your post on petaling street so that other bloggers know about it. (you need to register first but it is a great way to build up a readership)
i guess bad taste is truly universal.
It's kitsch, that's what it is. If you're not familiar with the term, basically kitsch is a kind of mass produced art that is based on popular imagery or themes, such as a picture of a sunset--any sunset-- or a pin-up girl, mickey mouse, etc. Another way to look at it is that it is art that people buy not because its aesthetics arouses any particular sensation, but simply because they think it'll look nice on the dining room wall, to fill the extra space. Think IKEA art posters.
In this case, people might buy the 911 photos as a memento of the tragedy, when 5 years from now their kids ask, "what's this about?" they can talk about it.
There's a twisted logic behind it, people (or at least, are expected to) buy the stuff for sentimental to be reminded of the event, reasons...but no denying that it's in bad taste.
Google "9/11 kitsch" and you'll get to read about people selling 9/11 art: rugs, plates, keychains, etc.
You'll read about tourists going to NYC to visit the site and they get to choose all sorts of souvenirs "commemorating" the event.
I don't think it says anything in particular about Malaysians at all.
Well MM,
Even if I could step outside myself and forget my personal connection to it.....remove myself from having sympathy simply because I'm human....just be an all out capitalist - - - if i could somehow convince myself its not really in bad taste: still i'd wait a few more years for people's emotional wounds to heal before selling a product like this. Not so sure I'd sell it to the general public. I wonder how many they've sold.
Oh dear! I'm sorry you had to see that terri. I must say, it is very distasteful and insensitive, maybe someone should highlight that in one of the papers i.e. Star, Nst, etc. Please know m'sians are not a bunch of morbid/sick folks...
art of deco or art of wacko? These guys are sick!!!By the way, which store is this? Got to strike it off my list.
Not to worry Hezreen. I doubt you shop there since it's all the way in Gombak. It's on Jalan Gombak to be exact: Ong Tai Kim
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