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That’s correct. We African Americans are not qualified to generalize nor culturally appropriate an entire continent with one statue. No less one containing a giant baby Buddha head that would make a Jim Crow era minstrel show blush.
Because of this thread I might go by Rock center today and see what visitors are saying. Would anyone be interested or are you all interested in just your own opinions?
I would be very interested in hearing the reactions. Also, I would be interested in knowing whether there is an explanation of the piece there that gives more details that we have been provided.
Last edited by ReineDeCoeur; 05-14-2021 at 12:43 PM..
Whether or not someone thinks it's 'ugly' is not an issue. It's the carrying on about how it's 'insulting' to 'black culture' that is the issue. It appears that many didn't read the article. It's very clear by what they post.
It states that it is NOT a 'symbol' of black culture, nor is it 'mocking' African culture with 'derogatory stereotypes'. If people would read the entire article, and see what the artist himself said, we could have avoided all kinds of bigotry that has been on display in this thread - mainly by those who are acting all offended over an artist's piece they haven't even bothered to try to understand.
Thinking a piece of art is 'ugly' is understandable. I think every last thing Picasso created is hideous, yet others love it.
how true that is! for example, so-called "artists" put together a bunch of metal scrap pieces and then call it art. its a mess! and then they expect you to intepret it. Even some works of art are considered valuable like Picasso or Joan Miro and those are abstract art, but its enjoyable (to those who are fans of Miro and Picasso).
On the other hand some folks hate Picasso and think its made by someone with double vision or something.
however, some so-called art works are hideous just by looking at it and you get that first impression. I could leave it at that. I dont wish to spend further energy trying to "get" it. I guess thats a choice I have to make. I did read the article partially, and the so-called artist does try to embellish his work, however, thats sorta like b.s. baloney trying to explain something horrid.
oh beleive me, I could take a pile of junk and make some flowery explanation for it - some folks would fall for it, others would not. some jokesters have even made joke-art where they make something that they put together which is hideous and then try to see which of the passers-by will fall for it. but all along, its just a big joke - its his joke on hideous art and how people will fall for it.
It's fascinating to me how many posters on this forum who are black do not even know what art from the archeological record of Africa looks like. I have no particular interest in African history or art, yet I know more about it than you do? That sculpture is obviously a conglomeration of styles from archeological record art from Africa. If it offends you, you need to study history and art a bit more.
Earlier in this thread I posted a figurine from the Viking era. It's obviously "deformed" just like African art is. Have ANY of you ever heard of stylized art? Good God, take a look at ANY historical art that is not European in origin. Look at South American art--Maya, Inca, Aztec, Toltec, etc, look at Asian art--Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, look at Polynesian art, Look at Native American art. Look at all of it. Do you folks find all of that offensive and deformed as well???
The fact that you expect all the art you see to look like an El Greco painting tells me that YOUR artistic tastes are rather racist. Grow up. There is so much historic art that is fascinating, mysterious, and highly artistic in a rather abstract, stylized way. That includes traditional African art from the various cultures. Don't cancel it because it's not western European art.
The face portion looks a lot like African sculptures I've seen. The only controversial thing about is infusing the head part with a European figure, but I suppose the artist intended this to be a bit more original, not entirely authentic per se. Other forms of art like Japanese manga take their native folklore and infuse it with certain features common in other groups(usually Europeans) and make something out of it.
I see the seated figure as a reference to the statue of Zeus at Olympia. Zeus is the Olympian god of the sky and the thunder, the king of all other gods and men, and, consequently, the chief figure in Greek mythology.
Is it me, or does he look a little like Gary Coleman?
“Watcha talking about Willis?”
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