Invisible Men: Blacks and Bias in Western Art: By Patricia Failing: my commentary

I purchased this painting, at a sale, from the artist for 20$. I chose to use this image, even though some will call it demeaning, because it was painted by a "white" person. The perpetual and often hidden stereotypes of members of certain populations, even well meaning artists, can in fact harm more than it can do good. This image is called "Jivin" and it is meant to represent a 20-30's era dance. The artist did not have much commentary on the picture she painted, only that she had lived in New Orleans for a while. Even the most well-meaning artist can be perpetuating stereotypes.

Failing quotes Hills as saying "images are shaped by history but pictures shape history too. Images are historical forces in themselves" (Failing, 1995). By perpetuating caricatures, or comical, un-realistic impressions of others, we continue participating in an institutionalized racism, that is both hidden and obvious.

While I agreed with certain authors quoted in the text, one in particular stands out. Failing quotes Gates as saying "the large number and variety of inherently racist images in American culture attests to a particular preoccupation with marginalizing black Americans by flooding the culture with an-Other Negro, a Negro who conformed to the deepest social fears and fantasies of the larger society" (Failing, 1990).

Combating racism involves more than super-ficial attempts at changing thought and behaviors. The author continues to refer to an ethnically diverse population of people, many of whom do not refer to themselves as "black", but as members of a number of different cultures and societies. Some of these labels are chosen, and some are not. To lump all persons who may or may not have a percentage of African-American ancestry, or who may even look "black" but are in fact Cuban, Hispanic, English, or any other nationality, is marginalizing in its self, and to continue to use the word "black" in order to continuously describe an entire population, is insulting. Some members of these populations may in fact be more "white" than "black", and in continuing to use didactic language, we encourage the continuation of 500 years of oppression.

Failing, P. (1990). Invisible Men: Blacks and Bias in Western Art. ARTnews