After visiting the Musee de l’Orangerie and the gift shop, I have some thoughts about gift shop items that are reproduction of the art. One piece that I found ethically concerning was a speaker with an image of Claude Monet’s water lilies on the front. I found this piece to be ethically concerning because Monet created the lilies to be a safe space of meditation, peace, and quiet. Blasting loud music from a speaker with the water lilies pasted on front is the opposite of what Monet created his water lilies for. If the speaker only played calm music, like classical or meditative music, then perhaps it would be okay, but this cannot be controlled after purchase. Some gift shop items that I found were ethically created are all the postcards. These postcards do not change the art in any way, other than sizing it down. These items do not affect the original meaning or creation of the art.
