Thanks, Saqqara Soleil for showing me this story.
This is a bust created by Daniel Edwards, the guy infamous for his Brittany Spears giving birth on a bearskin rug on her hands and knees, Suri Cruise's first turd, and naked dead Oprah sculptures. Michelle Obama is being shown at the Leo Kesting Gallery. This piece is supposedly in response to Daniel Edwards disdain for a gold statue of Kate Moss done by sculptor Marc Quinn. Edwards felt the Kate Moss sculpture was racist and perpetuated a racist standard of beauty. In the letter he suggested that they make sculptures of those who show a different type of beauty, such as Stephen Hawking or Michelle Obama.
So I guess his answer was to take on the challenge himself. I think he completely missed the mark. He probably doesn't even understand why his sculptor could be construed as racist.
Honestly, lets look at this bust. Why is Michelle Obama topless? Wouldn't that Black Tail Magazine spread come to light by now if Michelle had ever even dared to so such a thing? How many other first ladies have had a bust made of them completely topless? I am all for being open and accepting of nudity, but why the potential First Lady of the United States? I find it funny that Michelle Obama throughout this whole campaign has managed to be labeled as every single negative stereotype of black women. Fox News referring to her as a baby's momma. The New Yorker portraying her as a militant angry black woman with power afro, camo,carrying a gun, and giving "daps" to her husband. Now we have the Jezebel, sexualized and exposed. What else can they throw at Michelle Obama?
Let's talk about the hair pick and the hair? Why is she sporting an afro pick? Contrary to popular belief, black people use combs and brushes, just like other races of people, especially when they have relaxed hair. Speaking of hair, what is up with the finger wave gone bad she has on her head? Michelle Obama wears a relaxer, why would this be a hairstyle that Michelle Obama would consider? Keysha Cole wears finger waves, not Michelle Obama.
FInally the door knocker earrings. Now you guys know I love and rock door knocker earrings on a regular basis outside of the work realm, but seriously when has Michelle Obama ever worn door knockers? I can see it now, the well put together suit, the simple pearl necklace and the 5 pound gold hoops. I don't see it happening.
Finally, why is Michelle tattooed? I understand she is part of the "New America" that Obama plans to bring if he gets into the White House, but why must she appear that she is so "down" for America she wears it on her chest. Could you see Laura Bush with her chest tattooed? Isn't she "down" with America too?
I commend Daniel Edwards trying to shatter beauty ideals, but really? Does this do Michelle Obama justice? Why wouldn't he do a bust of Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, or Tyra Banks in response to the Kate Moss sculpture? Why would he choose the potential First Lady and sexualize her?
27 comments:
Hey Siditty wonderfully written as always. However, I think I am going to be a dissenting opinion. I LOVE sculpture more than any other art form. The art work is beautiful, the themes are beautiful. The tattoo of the American flag upon her chest I believe is meant to absolve those silly rumors that she in unpatriotic. The winged pick possible freedom from imposed ideals. I don’t even see a sexualized person when I look at this sculpture. Women are often depicted in sculpture and artwork through traditional gender qualities. Now do I believe that he could do this with Laura Bush, No! But really would you want to see her sagging boobs.
I love sculpture as well. But the combination of the hair, earrings, along with the tattoo, being topless and afro pic goes beyond the freedom and patriotism.
Now do I believe that he could do this with Laura Bush, No! But really would you want to see her sagging boobs.
LOL No I don't want to see Laura Bush's boobs, but I think it is telling that it wouldn't be ok for Laura Bush to be displayed this way, but Michelle Obama is acceptable to be shown in this manner some.
OK we disagree on this one, but seriously you know the Keisha Cole finger wave hair is wrong LOL
honestly, i appreciate the sculpture. i think it's beautiful, graceful and it's screaming "nefertiti" to me.
i don't believe that the hair, earrings or pic are too much. i also don't believe that's a tattoo on her chest and as far as her being naked...there is no detail down there but all i see her breasts doing is accentuating the fact that she is a woman. the flag (i disagree that it's a tattoo unless the sculptor specifically calls it such), earrings and pic are saying that not only is she a woman in the white house, but she's a black woman in the white house.
as far as the hair goes--there are NO such fingerwaves in existence as far as i am concerned, and i live in what was the fingerwave capital when they were popular. fingerwaves are always pasted close to the scalp...michelle's hair is anything but. those are not fingerwaves, but what appears to be more of a beehive of sorts. that is why the sculpture reminds me of nefertiti--because her famous bust shows her with the traditional head garb at the time--and it was shaped very much the same way as michelle's hair is.
i like the piece, and i don't see anything so "terribly" wrong with it. i think it's rather beautiful.
I guess maybe I am looking at his past work of Britney Spears with a baby head coming out her vagina, Hillary Clinton(at least she got a top for her boobs), Suri Cruise's first turd, dead Prince Harry, dead Oprah, and dead Paris Hilton. I question his sincerity. I see it as him trying to obtain publicity.
I don't think he is doing it for art, he is doing it for publicity.
i like it, i don't get the big olupa about it.
sexualized? being topless in some parts of Africa especially pre-colonial is not being sexualized.
He is an artist who likes to both antagonize and sensationalize. Besides, an artist can do whatever they want. Because of this it is sort of dangerous, or inconsequential to try to read too much into what he is trying to say, or what ingrained issues led him to his creation... we don't know and he has never really shown us anything other than a penchant for contraversy.
I would have liked it better to portray her for what she is, not what ethnic stereotype, even if a good stereotype, she may bee seen to represent.
it's art. i've learned to keep my distance when it comes to interpreting it.
As soon as I saw the bust, I knew he was the artist that was responsible for it... and I don't commend him for a damned thing. I just think he's trying to make a name for himself by deliberately courting controversy, and his stated explanation is a front. Like you, Siditty, my interpretation takes his past work into regard.
I really want to be angry at this, but I can't. I can understand why so many black people are not happy with it. Any time a non black person depicts a black person a certain way, whether it be in a good or bad light, many black people will have a problem with it because someone else is telling black people how we should look like.
We all know how that has gone...
don't get me wrong, i'm all about serious art
there's no doubt he has talent. he's hitting you over the head with the "brilliant" and "challenging" statements he thinks he's making about society, but clearly, much of what he does is really about his massive ego, and being a provocateur.
i mean, the pretension that goes along with so many of these works is a little much. he's enjoying making you squirm, and that in itself does not a great artist make.
and you know what, the Oprah piece, the Hillary piece and now this... they may be well executed, but they are bottom line disrespectful to their subjects.
I didn't read through the other comments just incase someone responded in this light; but Michelle Obama has natural hair. She doesn't use a relaxer to straighten her hair but uses heat.
Sorry to be contrary, but I actually like the sculpture. It's art - you don't have to like it. It's some dude's interpretation of Mrs. Obama. Yes, she's topless, but it's not a photo. I just can't get myself worked up over art.
Peace out and GO OBAMA 2008 AND BEYOND!!
It's art - you don't have to like it
I understand that concept, what I don't understand is why he chose to portray Michelle as "mother africa" instead of as herself.
Plus why is a sculpture topless ok, but a picture not ok?
"I understand that concept, what I don't understand is why he chose to portray Michelle as "mother africa" instead of as herself."
LOL, I hear black men who are very afro centric say this..."my black nubian sistah! Mother of Earth!" blah, blah, blah...
"Anonymous said...
sexualized? being topless in some parts of Africa especially pre-colonial is not being sexualized."
Please take it from a bonafide African. Try going topless in any area of any African country, chnances are, you will get your ass whupped! Even in pre-colonial Africa, most covered up. I find it ironic that you are applying the white man's interpretation of Africa as that barbaric place where they all walk round naked, and yet, can't even see that you're doing it.
Siddity, I pretty much agree with you. I don't think most of the other posters get your point. Michelle Obama is not African. She is American. As American as any other american. It is unacceptable to try to portray her as anything else. At that, this man's portrayal of 'Michelle-mother Africa' is even a false representation of your average(majority of) Africans. This is a sexualized image. One does not have to show a woman's southern genitals for it to be sexualized. As far as I'm concerned, if it is unacceptable to display Laura Bush's boobs(sagging or not), Hillary Clinton's, or any other self-respecting white woman in the public eye etc., why should Michelle Obama be any less deserving of that same respect and decency?
They cannot even wait for her to get into the white house before they start their nonsense. And it is even sadder that alot of black people, who should know better, are completely oblivious to the dynamics that are so obviously at play. If we cannot respect ourselves, and cannot respect Michelle Obama, the accomplished woman that she is, yet think other white women who have gone through less are more deserving of dignity, I guess its no surprise that we can not only tolerate, but even praise the work of some white artist who is looking for attention off such 'controversy', and simply dismiss this foolish man's nonsense as 'art'!
Look at the women he represented in his sculptures. The only white women that got a disrespectul(or undignified) sculpture were Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. When I looked at his sculpture of Hillary Clinton, all I noticed was her face. Yet look at the black women that had an undignified portrayal by him. Oprah and Michelle. I guess he believes that they are as undeserving of respect and dignity as Paris and Britney, yet the white women of similar social standing to Michelle and Oprah should have their public decency left intact! Give me a break!!!
Siddity, I really do not think he was sexualizing Michelle. He was trying to show the contradictions with Michelle's public portrayal. On one side, she portrayed as a Jackie Kennedy like blk woman and the other she is portrayed as a militant blk woman. The hair style is a reference to Nefertiti and the pic has a pearl on it. He was attempting to show the contradictions in her image and the way that some Americans view her.
This is artistic nudity and not blk tail nudity. There is a difference and lets be happy she wasn't given national Geographic breasts.
"When I looked at his sculpture of Hillary Clinton, all I noticed was her face. Yet look at the black women that had an undignified portrayal by him. Oprah and Michelle."
I think his sculpture of Clinton was also meant to be disrespectful. This is a woman who isn't known to wear clothing anywhere near as provocative as the form-fitting lacy tube-top/strapless bra thing she's depicted with in the sculpture. The contrast between her realistically-rendered face and the porn star-esque "bust" portion of the bust is also meant to demean her -- sexualizing her solely based on her gender, as opposed to any aspect of her public persona.
This artist only sees black women in "tribal" stereotypes as understood by the underexposed Western Mind.
The whole naked African woman stereotype was in high gear in this man's mind. He is one of those who follows the reed dances for King Mswati of Swaziland. This shit is never going to stop.
I think it's lovely. I'd pay to display it in my house.
'till next time...
I see where you are coming from and you make some valid points (especially about the afro pick sans the afro), but aesthetically I find the sculpture interesting and provocative. "Did the sculptor over do it?" It could be argued that he did, but that is what artists do (especially these modern types).
Michelle Obama does not use relaxers...she's a natural.
This guy is not "trying to shatter racist beauty ideals", far from it. He wrote a letter to the British Museum in which he attacked the display of the Kate Moss Aphrodite sculpture with an American sense of superiority, saying that Americans don't believe in holding a particular type of beauty over others (!) and accusing them of supporting Third Reich beauty ideals. After which he conveniently suggested that he come and enlighten the British by holding a series of conferences. If that's not blatant hypocrisy, I don't know what is - America, of all places, the haven of non-racist beauty ideals! All he cares about is more notoriety/money for himself. If portraying Aphrodite, a Greek goddess, using a white model is racist and Nazi, then we might as well set all Western museums on fire.
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