Art? Or Overt Racism?

[mushroom25]

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/28/exhibition-b-barbican-protest-petition

Art? or overt racism?

[naomi24]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1361361.html

[douglas9401]

According to the mad sounding, frothing at the mouth, racist, bigot woman of colour who was chopped from the Jeremy Vine show this afternoon:

It's racist.

She did sound that she needed locking up, I thought.

[dunnitall]

All any of this sort of thing is to provoke people into calling the racist card. If we will lived happily together in spite of creed, race or colour then this soddin' world might just be a better place. Mind you....those thoughts are without intervention of humans!!

[naomi24]

//If we will lived happily together in spite of creed, race or colour then this soddin' world might just be a better place. //

We'd have a better chance if people stopped manufacturing 'offence' at every opportunity.

[dunnitall]

How right you are Naomi

[ummmm]

Art.

They are just using live models for something we can see in pictures. I think the use of live models would have more of an impact, it becomes more real.

[ethandron]

I don't see it as either, it's not my perception of 'art' but I know it is for some, and I don't see it as remotely racist.

[naomi24]

I wonder if the objectors have their brains in gear enough to realise that the models chose quite freely to take the job, and that by closing the exhibit they will be out of work? What an achievement!

[ethandron]

Exactly, naomi!

[kvalidir]

Art- it's supposed to have shock value and make you think- which it clearly has done but some people when they think will always come to the wrong conclusions.

[dunnitall]

Seems nowadays anything can be labelled as 'art'....clearly years ago art had a different meaning but now anything goes. Modern life eh....for those who wish to take part lol.

[askyourgran]

Art? as in Emin's unmade bed. Load of trollocks. So self righteous - 'We still have this exhibition but we still haven't had an apology for slavery'..... 'Images the stereotypes and forces the audience to engage with stories of exploitation.'Why revisit this? What do they hope to acheive by it now?

[ummmm]

It's history.

[jourdain2]

Given what passes for art these days, I don't see a problem. The 'artist' is trying to put over a pro-black, anti-racist message so far as I can see from a reasonably quick scan.

[jourdain2]

I should add that it is all very yawn-making and history by now.

[bazwillrun]

"Seems nowadays anything can be labelled as 'art'....clearly years ago art had a different meaning but now anything goes. Modern life eh....for those who wish to take part lol. "

Seems nowadays anything can be labelled as 'racist'......

[FireSkies]

It's racist and divisive for the same reason. His work mutes the response of the violated and the perpetrators remain an invisible, abstract, almost glorified presence. It objectifies a whole race and history, to the point the message is "lost in lamentation". It is not history being depicted but events that people still have to deal with today.
The Barbican has given credibility to an offensive and racist installation, disguising itself as art. [Racism: having or showing the belief that a particular race is superior to another].
The artist says he wants to educate and challenge. His attempt is arrogant and lacks the clarity of experience. The most likely people to visit this exhibition will be the repugnant voyeurs and the misguided intellectuals who want to give this disgusting work validity and spout nonsense about how important it is. The curator has no direct and firsthand experience of racism and the residual affects of being continuously identified with this abhorrent history. People will be moved temporarily and then continue with their lives. Very little of their racial prejudices will change.
Just a thought but...would it not have been more challenging to turn the context on its head by having white/ Europeans in place of the black /Africans; now that would require some critical thinking by shifting the perspective and challenge how we all identify and confront the subject matter?

[naomi24]

FireSkies, are you involved in this protest?

[agchristie]

That was my first thought Naomi...

First name on the petition perhaps FireSkies?

[sandyRoe]

If a work of art forces the viewer to confront a tableau vivant which seems to be saying, 'This is what your ancestors did to theirs.', how is that racist?