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A huge new bronze sculpture welcoming visitors to the Rockefeller Center in New York, has garnered confusion and questions online over its representation of “African culture” and its symbolism.
The 7.6m tall black “Oracle” with a huge head joins murals, flags and videos at the venue, all created by African American artist Sanford Biggers, whose artwork also includes music and performance.
The seated figure is part of the Harlem-based artist's “Chimera” series of sculptures that combines African masks and European figures to explore mythologies of those cultures.
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This messaging appears to have been lost in translation, as many were offended by the use of African imagery to depict the head, labelling it racist and urging the centre to take down the sculpture. Many have questioned if there aren't any more appropriate African artworks from which he could've drawn inspiration and raised issue with another flawed characterisation of African mythology and art by an American.
I guess us proles just aren't sophistamacated enough to appreciate this stunning example of high art or something? It just looks a bit too much like a Jim Crow-era caricature.
Not sure why you’re claiming that an African-American artist is mocking “African culture” when he stated that what his work does. If some people don’t understand it, they should do their research.
Haha! He got a PEANUT HEAD. This artist is trolling everyone hell look at his last name. Didnt Jay-Z used to have a song somethin like "B to the N, N to the B, no ones funnier than me Jay-Z!"
No?
...The 7.6m tall black “Oracle” with a huge head joins murals, flags and videos at the venue, all created by African American artist Sanford Biggers, whose artwork also includes music and performance...
...many were offended by the use of African imagery to depict the head, labelling it racist...
Not sure why you’re claiming that an African-American artist is mocking “African culture” when he stated that what his work does. If some people don’t understand it, they should do their research.
So someone who descended from Africans is mocking them? That would be like a Jewish artist putting up a statue of a Jew with a gigantic nose. What in the world possessed NYC to put up a statue making fun of blacks?
Is it me, or does he look a little like Gary Coleman?
Whatchoo talkin bout, Willis?
They should have a contest. Guess how many gary colemans could fit in.the statues head! Winner gets a boat ticket to africa.
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