Global Media Grind: THE HUMAN ZOO: Racist art or Art engaging race? Londons The Barbican accused of complicit racism. The Barbican has an exhibit called THE HUMAN ZOO. Its created by white South African director Brett Bailey, and based on the 19th century human zoos where African tribes people would stand on display for European audiences to look at. From The Guardian: In Exhibit B, spectators walk through a room in which black actors are displayed on plinths, some semi-naked, but the tableaux vivants they stand in depict the evils of the colonial era, including four singing “severed” heads. There are also exhibits depicting modern-day asylum-seekers, with the refugees described as in the accompanying text as “found objects”.Afterwards, the audience are led into a room where they can write down their responses to the work. There are also cards with text written by the actors in the show, describing their experiences of modern-day racism. Activists disagree. They argue it is racist. And Barbican has become the 21st Century Human Zoo engaging racist art for commerce, so theres a petition protesting the exhibition. It first appeared at Edinburgh Festival and got 5 star reviews - given Edinburghs demographic, it would have been viewed by a 98% white audience. Racist art, art engaging audience & confronting racism or racism as commerce? Interested to hear from artists, writers, cultural critics,historians: Greg Tate Dream Hampton Nicole Moore Lynnee Denise Stacey Muhammadc Stacey Patton Arthur Jafa Joan Morgan Joan Morgan Writer Blair Lynne Murphy Kelley Imani Perry theguardian/culture/2014/sep/05/exhibit-b-is-the-human-zoo-racist-the-performers-respond?CMP=twt_gu
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:01:42 +0000
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