Responding to Bi-Lingual–the redux

Today it is popular to think of the terms race and culture as other to whiteness. Race is a human made, social construct not a biological fact. Culture, suggests intellectual, moral and aesthetic cultivation. Is it not ironic, that some people are raced while others are not? Some are constantly invited to scrutinize who they are, while others granted the privilege of invisibility. How does this phenomenon impact the expectations of artists in general, and artists of color in particular? How did we get into this position? Critically analyzing the source of such popular constructions is worthwhile.

After declining the invitation to exhibit in Bi-Lingual, I praised the efforts of the show but suggested that my artwork was not a good fit. I feared the curatorial framework might reduce the layers of complexity I’ve worked so hard to achieve. In response to my criticism, I was invited to lead an on-line discussion/panel capturing views I expressed. The essay would not be a review of the Bi-Lingual artists’ works, but rather a re-articulation of the critique that informed my decline—namely that some art exhibitions limit the interpretation of artists of color.

By posing questions about whiteness, my aim was to expand how race and culture are engaged today. I am concerned about the ways in which curatorial frameworks restrict dialogue by and about artists of color. What happens when curatorial vision reinforces the very problems it seeks to challenge? Should we instead aim to deconstruct systems that have created the boxes we’ve been taught to play in? Just as my own work examines gender and popular culture, it also addresses the medium of printmaking and the history of portraiture. While offers to speak about form or the techniques I employ are rare, I am frequently invited to probe identity and victimization issues.

The goal of “Identity Shows: Invisible Whiteness and Colored Display” is to challenge and hopefully inspire a more inclusive commentary about the politics of cultural showcases like Bi-Lingual. It is my hope that this on-line forum will elicit a more informed dialogue.

Ayanah Moor–