When things go too far

[darkhorse]

I wanted to get some input on this. Right now I am not really sure what my thoughts are on this besides this got taken too far on multiple levels.

http://www.vice.com/read/holy-shit-t..._source=vicefb

[admin]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

I wanted to get some input on this. Right now I am not really sure what my thoughts are on this besides this got taken to far on multiple levels.

http://www.vice.com/read/holy-shit-t..._source=vicefb

The artist wanted to make people think about forced genital cutting so he made the cake in the shape of a person and invited the Swedish Minister of Arts to cut the "genitals" of the cake. The artist's actual head is positioned where the "cake's" head would be.

No matter what color or gender the cake was, it couldn't resemble all forced genital cutting victims. So the fact that it's black doesn't make it racist. And it doesn't look much like any person of any race because IT'S A CAKE.

The "black face" make-up the artist is wearing, however, hearkens to an unfortunate period in American arts history when white men wore such make-up to do wretched hurtful impressions of oppressed black people in stage shows. Maybe it carries a different connotation in Sweden.

[darkhorse]

Perhaps you are right that it would have carried a different connotation in a nordic country but I was more concerned over the fact that it was FGM here. I mean if this had been a performance piece about rape it would have fostered much more outrage. I mean listen to what the woman said to the "african." I don't think that FGM should be taken this lightly. I understand that there were good intentions to bring awareness to the issue and such but it I think it is counterproductive as it brings negative attention to the movement. I find it interesting that most people were upset around the race of the cake and not what was being done to it while a crowd of jovial wine drinking party goers look on. I think it could have been a lot more tasteful.

[admin]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Perhaps you are right that it would have carried a different connotation in a nordic country

And I see the artist in "black face" is actually of African heritage. I don't think white people get to tell black people they can't call attention to what white people once did to black people.

Verdict: NOT racist.

[finman]

More coverage: In the clip you can hear the 'cake' screaming as her genitals are cut...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video--cult...%E2%80%99.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17749533



http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...-cake-row.html



http://mg.co.za/article/2012-04-18-s...st-cake-stunt/



http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe...049897269.html

[vicousg42]

biggest tragedy is that the cake is female. should be male, which would make it a public condemning of the united states role in mutilating Africa. instead it looks as though they're reinforcing the already present condemning of FGM that's oh so popular, while people either look the other way for males, or further perpetuate it as a severe double standard.

facepalm... should have made the cake male.

[finman]

I have found that most people I meet in the UK do not know about FGM. There is also a general belief that MGM is ok, although generally unnecessary. So anything to educate people about the twin evils of FGM and MGM is good.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by finman

There is also a general belief that MGM is ok, although generally unnecessary.

Yeah, its driving me insane. I want to shake people and ask them how they can shrug it off as a non-issue. It's horrible to suddenly realise what a warped society I live in.

[DPX1]

Originally Posted by admin

Maybe it carries a different connotation in Sweden.

I once got a very angry rant from a notoriously easily-offended Swedish girl I went to college with about how Sweden has a totally different tradition of blackface that has nothing to do with racism and I was ignorant and blah blah blah that altogether makes me think maybe you're right about that.

[Mister.Barbecue]

Originally Posted by admin

Maybe it carries a different connotation in Sweden.

Apparently in the Low Countries, too.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/b...cholas-holland

Originally Posted by DPX1

I once got a very angry rant from a notoriously easily-offended Swedish girl I went to college with about how Sweden has a totally different tradition of blackface that has nothing to do with racism and I was ignorant and blah blah blah that altogether makes me think maybe you're right about that.

Well it's all about perception ultimately, right? Everyone interprets this art differently, and that's the problem. Everyone also interprets the importance of racism differently, and that is what adds to people's upset about it.

For what it's worth, this artist does blackface art almost exclusively. From some commentator:

The very purpose of the Cognitivist is not only to convey a particular lived experience, but also give the viewer knowledge of the subject being addressed. I've visited and seen his work, and this Cognitive approach is especially apparent in his deconstruction of Black stereotypes of the past in his work, which he uses to critique the colonial narratives of the past - he's explicitly stated this. Your dislike of his work doesn't change artistic license.

I looked at his website and found it uninteresting. He claims it's to make us think about racism, but when I look at his art, it just seems dumb. I think his claims of trying to stimulate discussion is just pretentious window dressing for being unoriginal.
Just my 0.02.