Multicultural and Transcultural Objects

Abstract

The fifth chapter looks at instances of expressive engagement representing the hyphenated condition. It considers public display motivated by the desire to celebrate the recognition of the contribution, and the social, political, and cultural agency of migrant groups. Celebration is not simply a rhetorical gesture meant to prompt the praise of the mainstream or majority group, but a deliberate and critically informed intervention, stating clearly and unambiguously identity, symbolic relevance, and creative uniqueness. The case study chosen for this purpose is drawn from the experience of the Italian community in Australia, and specifically the construction of the replica of an Italian square, the “Italian Forum,” in Sydney’s Little Italy.