Comments on Womanist Musings: Daniel Edwards Re-Envisions Michelle Obama: Art an...

This is exactly how I felt. I contacted the art ga...

2008-09-27T20:52:26.703-04:00

This is exactly how I felt. I contacted the art gallery in New York and the RACISTS had the NERVE to try and tell me to read some letter to distract me from an OBVIOUS racist charicature.

The time is now. FIGHT this image. Call these people. Recreate your image. Black men DO NOT have your back. Change this before it becomes PERMANENT in american society.

I'm not sure which I find more strikingly awful:-h...

2008-09-22T16:10:09.907-04:00

I'm not sure which I find more strikingly awful:
-how much this bust resembles some of Carrie Mae Weems's work, which was meant to be a critique (which suggests to me that either this sculptor hasn't read up on his black female artists, or he's just that clueless)
-the scar-like ripples of the flag on her chest

it's even more bizzare because this looks nothing ...

2008-09-22T15:10:41.907-04:00

it's even more bizzare because this looks nothing like michelle and everything like a stylized nina simone.

My first thought was (like many others): unbeliev...

2008-09-21T15:55:07.936-04:00

My first thought was (like many others): unbelievable.

What really bothered me was this -- "The goal is t...

2008-09-21T14:35:26.863-04:00

What really bothered me was this -- "The goal is to create a look for Michelle Obama that eliminates excessive comparisons to Jackie Kennedy."

So take away her personal style, (which does remind people of Jackie Kennedy) and re-do her entire look into something that is clearly NOT Michelle Obama? Ridiculous. Especially for the fact that she's 'branded' by the American flag. I checked out the link to some of the rest of Edwards' work, and the rest is not much better.

I'm really bothered by the way the breasts are dis...

2008-09-21T13:58:38.450-04:00

I'm really bothered by the way the breasts are displayed in such an "available" way, it's the Mammy depiction that Renee's written about in other posts.

I can understand that the artist *may* have set out to give a sympathetic rendering of Obama, but it ends up portraying her as a victim with no agency (esp. the way her shoulders are so pulled back, as if her hands are bound).

@ Roxie"To me I see a label of ownership. It makes...

2008-09-21T13:46:45.780-04:00

@ Roxie

"To me I see a label of ownership. It makes me think of the branding done during slavery."

Bingo

While I agree and can see your analysis about how ...

2008-09-21T13:19:34.219-04:00

While I agree and can see your analysis about how he has made her "other" I also see a resemblance to the Queen Nefertiti bust.

I didn't see her face set in a mask if despair. To me she looks strong and with a long gaze that has a knowing something behind it.

HOWEVER, the American flag carved into her skin really fucking bothers me. To me I see a label of ownership. It makes me think of the branding done during slavery..especially with how "African" he's tried to go with this representation.

This is unbelievable. Wow, just wow!

2008-09-21T12:20:46.682-04:00

This is unbelievable. Wow, just wow!

Yea when I saw this I was like you have to be kidd...

2008-09-21T11:34:30.215-04:00

Yea when I saw this I was like you have to be kidding me.

This is....unbelievable. I cannot believe how raci...

2008-09-21T01:52:52.916-04:00

This is....unbelievable. I cannot believe how racism and sexism are inscribed on this statue and this man thinks that he is making some sort of homage?