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It is fair to say that artists have a tendency to paint, that which has left an impression on them. As Carolyn points out, travel impressions are just another record of such experiences and I do not see the work of any artists, who has truthfully painted that what he has experienced first hand as exploitation.
As to allegorical or historical paintings, Tom has made a good point that most work was done after the fact. But if one calls himself a historical painter, then technique alone does not suffice, after all without detailed research any presentation of historical events could be misleading and fraught with error.
Carolyn, your argument about filling a void is an interesting one. When I visited Singapore my first impression was of disappointment. I was not expecting to see a street filled with Designer Stores and Starbucks. In contrast, when traveling to Bali, that experience gave me a sense of being in a far away land amongst people with an entirely different way of live. Seeing people go about their business in settings that is more in terms with their heritage is more appealing to me. I am not against progress, but
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