The Lolita Complex: - Scholarly Commons Home

Loli-Pop was an exploration into the G&L movement with a focus on
the Lolita subculture and its relationship with popular culture, thus the title
Loli = “Lolita” + Pop = “popular culture”. Our initial intention was to
exhibit original Japanese Lolita garments, specifically examples delineating
the separate categories of Gothic Lolita, Sweet Lolita, Country Lolita, Punk
Lolita and Classic Lolita, supported by street photography in the vein of
Aoki, and authentic items of popular culture, fashion accessories, manga-
graphic novels and dolls. The designer labels we were looking to display
were mainly Mana’s Moi-même-Moitié, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Metamorphose
and Angelic Pretty. This grand vision happened in part.
Our initial hurdle was in convincing all parties of the validity of this
exercise as it was not foreseen as the draw card that it would become. After
that, the most challenging episode was the argument that ensued over the
naming of the show in the first instance. The issue was that both the words,
“Lolita” and “Gothic”, were considered too controversial. Admittedly,
“Lolita” is a loaded term. Negativity attached to this word was exacerbated
when email exchanges between Chuang and myself, containing “Lolita” in
either the subject fields and or bodies of messages, and copied to contact
addresses of Museum management staff members, were continually blocked
by the system and recognised as “offensive”. It also appeared, however, that
“Gothic” invited its own stigma, especially in relation to “Goth”, creating a
panic that our topic was unsuitable for the reputation of the Institution.
Both titles were subsequently banned from usage.
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