少数的权利:印第安图腾柱在西雅图公共艺术中的语义转换

Minority Rights:Semantic Transformation of Indian"Totem Poles"in Seattle Public Art

在西雅图众多的公共艺术中,分布着相当一部分带有明显印第安艺术风格的视觉形象,成为当地重要的文化表征。对于印第安图腾柱的原初功能,人们往往解释为进行精神崇拜的对象。图腾柱在历史更迭中实则经历了反复的语义转换,由起先记事的载体,到社会同化过程中被赋予的改善种族关系的新身份,再至进入当代语境后更加趋向于城市精神的体现。

Among the many public arts in Seattle,a considerable portion of the visual image with obvious Indian indigenous art has become an important cultural symbol of the area.At the beginning function of the Indian totem pole,it is often used to interpret it as the object of spiritual worship.The"totem pole"actually experienced repeated semantic transformations in historical changes.From the beginning as a carrier of the memo function,to the new identity that was given to improve the racial relationship during the process of social assimilation,and even more into the contemporary context multiple meanings embodied in the urban spirit.