What You See/What We See is an interactive window box that showcases the deleterious effects on society of the dominant culture’s pervasive negative images of Black people.
The Back: fabric, wood, paper, glass, acrylic, marker
The dominant white culture in the USA and the world are looking in on the Black community as if through a window. Being on the outside seeing us and liking what we do, then taking it, distorting it or making money off of it. We've built up this country to its financial glory with backbreaking labor.
Often we drive trends in music, create the way words in language develop, dances and innovation too, yet we are marginalized and/or tokenized. People view us like queer animals in the zoo; as an object or a deity to look at in fascination. We are sexualized and brutalized and thought to have skin so thick it feels no pain. Our culture is stolen from us and repurposed for profit.
What happens when you look at us as we are seen by you, the dominant culture, and then look at us as we see ourselves, as humans, beautiful, bold, triumphant, sometimes broken, strong, loving, happy, exhausted, proud, knowledgeable, with experiences, beliefs, values and attitudes?
See us as we see ourselves and then look at yourself, what do you see? How does the journey of seeing contrasting images change how you see yourself and how you feel about yourself? How can this process awaken conversation to foster racial healing?
The Front: fabric, wood, paper, glass, acrylic, marker
Viewer interacting with the box
A close up showing details of the front
A close up of the interior
A close up of one of the side panels
