Constructions of the Exotic in Europe and North America,
18th-21st Centuries

Material Culture Review solicits articles for a special issue on the
theme of constructing the exotic. We are looking for articles that
examine the question of how a person, an object or a work of art comes
to be seen as exotic. How is "foreignness" constructed? How is one
culture appropriated and domesticated by another?

The goal here is not to show the constructed nature of the concept of
the exotic. Rather, papers should emphasize the processes by which
something is made exotic, including the stories that surround an object,
the ways in which an object is exhibited, and how the representation of
an object affects whether or not it is perceived as foreign. We invite
papers that examine exoticization and domestication in relation to
territory and place, agency and identity - papers that examine not only
what is exoticized but also who does the exoticizing and how they do it.
We are particularly interested in analyses of the exotic in Europe and
North America that are grounded in social and political contexts.

Proposed Research Topics

1. Representation
The first topic has to do with representations that blur the border
between documentation and fiction, realism and exoticism. How do certain
items construct certain identities? For example, how do Indian clothing,
Chinese dishes and tobacco accessories contribute to the identity of
those who wear or use them? How are these objects used in the art world,
in the theatre, or in people's homes? How do 18th-century engravings
used to illustrate stories of voyages, as well as more "scientific"
representations (photographs, museums, etc.) produced at the beginning
of the 19th century, construct the exotic? Papers on this topic will
look at what actually makes something appear exotic, what increases or
decreases the "foreign" quality in the eyes of the maker and consumer.

2. Display
The second topic pays attention to the material culture, words and
gestures surrounding objects - to displays that make them look exotic or
- on the contrary - domestic. Here, it is important to examine how the
objects are displayed in their place of purchase, in people's homes and
in museums. How are they exhibited? What physical context (furniture,
frames, light) is used to present them? What words are used to describe
them? Do these things qualify the objects as exotic or, rather, do they
underemphasize their "foreign" quality?

3. Materiality
Once the things are acquired, how are they repaired, reformed or
recomposed? What kind of material transformations do these imported,
re-territorialized objects undergo? It may be through a process of
hybridization with other artifacts. Exoticization can also happen
through a process of integration: a fragment inserted into a piece of
furniture can alter the entire object. However, exoticism is reinforced,
for example, in the bronze or silver rings on an Asian vase. We
encourage papers that study the process of fragmentation, extension, and
the use of specific materials (precious and tropical wood, stone, metal,
etc.) in the creation of "exotic" objects.


Articles should be 20-30 double-spaced pages, including endnotes. In
addition, we encourage the submission of:
- research reports (10-20 pages, including endnotes);
- exhibition reviews (10-15 pages, including endnotes);
- research notes (5-10 pages);
- book reviews (notes and comments less than 5 pages) on this theme.

Articles are expected in English or French

Please submit manuscripts by December 15, 2013 to
Noémie Etienne at ne477nyu.edu