Sally Price (anthropologist)

Sally Price (born 1945) is an American anthropologist best known for her work on the politics of authenticity in art and culture, particularly in relation to non-Western art. She has also written extensively on Maroon cultures of the Guianas.

Price received her B.A. from Harvard University in 1966 and her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1982. She is currently affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Her most influential book is arguably Primitive Art in Civilized Places (1989), which examines the ways in which Western perceptions and valuations of non-Western art are often shaped by ethnocentric biases and power dynamics. The book critiques the tendency to romanticize and essentialize "primitive" cultures while simultaneously devaluing their artistic productions by separating them from their social and historical contexts. It explores how notions of authenticity, originality, and artistic intention are used to construct hierarchies of value within the art world.

Another significant contribution is Coquinaria: Appetites, Identities, and the Politics of Food (2007), which analyzes the cultural significance of food, exploring how it shapes identity, reflects social relations, and intersects with power structures.

Price has also conducted extensive ethnographic research among the Saramaka Maroons of Suriname, focusing on their history, culture, and artistic traditions. Her earlier works, co-authored with Richard Price, explored Saramaka social organization, religion, and oral traditions. These collaborative efforts provided crucial insights into the resilience and cultural creativity of Maroon communities in the face of historical oppression.

Her writings have been important in challenging established norms in anthropology and art history, encouraging a more critical and self-reflexive approach to the study of non-Western cultures and artistic practices. She continues to contribute to debates surrounding cultural appropriation, artistic value, and the representation of marginalized communities.