Bought a print I love, DH is worried it's racist

[NC4T]

Saw it on IG and loved it. Purchased it for the laundry room corridor, but it's arrived and DH is a little worried it might be racist. I can't see how. To me, it's a mum finding a few minutes of calm in the chaos and I love her babies little sleeping face.

We are white Jewish, for cultural context.

What do you think?

how can it still be racist even with an explanation? Is the woman the print is based on a racist herself?

Depends if you believe the explanation

Why wouldn’t you believe it? Basically t has to be racist and that’s the end of it.

To echo what someone said upthread, I think there’s a big split here between those who have at some point been taught to decode an image, and those who haven’t.

There's also a big split between those who obsess about -isms real and imaginary, and those who don't.

how can it still be racist even with an explanation? Is the woman the print is based on a racist herself?

Well actually an artefact can still be many things (racist, elitist, sexist, xenophobic...) despite an explanation, because it has a life of its own and has to exist as a stand-alone image (or on different contexts).

If a piece of art relies on the artist being summoned to explain away its more worrying elements every time it’s looked at, it’s not standing well alone.

Context being important, I still don’t think it’s a great idea for OP to hang it alone outside the laundry room, especially if it worries her DH.

Depends if you believe the explanation

It really doesn't matter if you don't. You should realise how racist the assumptions are when you know thats even a possibility as an explanation, let alone whether it actually is true.

Newsflash, there are black Danes, black Brits, black people from lots of places that aren't Africa.

There's also a big split between those who obsess about -isms real and imaginary, and those who don't.

Not at all. The big split seems to be between two factions both concerned about “isms” (as you put it).

She's not poor; that's an expensive looking wrap.

Seriously though, I didn't really register the fact she was black. But maybe that's as I'm half naked, have a wrap tied round me (just popped baby out to see if he'll go for a bit in a Moses basket) and am doing the laundry.

While reading mn on my phone.

The other ones are hilarious!

Newsflash, there are black Danes, black Brits, black people from lots of places that aren't Africa.

Yes I think she (and everybody else) knows that. That’s why she specified “ stereotypical Dane” isn’t it?

Okaaaaaaaayyyy...

This all seems to be invalidating reactions to this thread, based on the stated intentions of the artist.

Step back from this a minute, and consider Shakespeare's works. I can only hope that we all consider his work to be of artistic merit.

There is a proposition that if you set infinitely many computers to generate random text for infinitely long, one will eventually randomly produce the complete works of Shakespeare.

Suppose it did? Would the emotional resonance of Shakespeare's soliloquies disappear if it turned out it was produced by a random text generator and there was no thought behind the production? Would people be foolish and overthinking to enjoy the plays?

It doesn't actually matter whether it's simply and entirely an innocent commissioned portrait by a Danish woman by a Danish artist, it still doesn't work so well overseas in the UK. Through the lens of our culture (which is not Denmark's- can you even buy Dove soap there?), it evokes some very unpleasant associations for a lot of people.

Middeldy, your black friend? How often does she go round babywearing naked? No-one is saying black women with slings are examples of National Geographic, and don't lower yourself to pretending they are.

So this is a commission but the op has bought it? - Is the naked person depicted ok with that?

Of course images carry meaning, some might not view it this way, but they do. And it can mean something we don’t intend.

Also it doesn’t make it art / or good art particularly to have pages on here around the meaning or the story people have invented around washing clothes etc

How often does she go round babywearing naked?

I don't understand why the concept of baby-wearing naked in your own home is strange or unbelievable. Closer to the baby, don't get as hot, don't have to worry about getting your clothes dirty unnecessarily... Why wouldn't you? Seems perfectly reasonable to do it naked.

That’s why she specified “ stereotypical Dane” isn’t it?

But why should the artist only produce art of "stereotypical white Danes"?

But why should the artist only produce art of "stereotypical white Danes"?

Was the poster suggesting that? I thought she was saying it was awkward that the “stereotypical white Danes” were shown doing yoga, and the only image involving a washing machine was of a black woman.

All of which intent has been explained now by the explanation of the commission.

But I know where the PP is coming from because of I was writing something I’d be careful about the “there are three PoC characters, how are they being depicted?” thing. (Which admittedly all gets a bit difficult and circular. But I don’t think we’re at the point yet of showing any character as whatever, and not worrying about the subliminals.)

Actually I did say that it reminded me of the National Geographic photos type thing that we saw when I was a kid . The stereotype image was of a happy African woman with baby in sling, naked or near naked, doing tribal dancing so that white men could have a bit of titillation. Which is why I found it uncomfortable.

Wow, there are actually some 'whypipologists' here who are just turning out to be absurd!
I mean, all the insults? Why?

I don't understand why the concept of baby-wearing naked in your own home is strange or unbelievable. Closer to the baby, don't get as hot, don't have to worry about getting your clothes dirty unnecessarily... Why wouldn't you? Seems perfectly reasonable to do it naked.

I certainly never did it! I like to be able to answer the door to receive my amazon parcels...

thought she was saying it was awkward that the “stereotypical white Danes” were shown doing yoga, and the only image involving a washing machine was of a black woman.

There were woc doing yoga in the other pictures though.

I certainly never did it! I like to be able to answer the door to receive my amazon parcels...

I don't get unexpected visitors and of course if I were expecting a delivery, I might get dressed, or just wrap something like a dressing gown around from the breasts downwards. I'm always naked though, at home.

There were woc doing yoga in the other pictures though.

But no white women doing laundry?

Is that right? Or did I miss some?

It’s ironic anyway, that the people most at pains to avoid something racist, end up being the ones accused of racism.

Do you put a little towel on furniture before you sit down if you are wandering around naked?

Actually I did say that it reminded me of the National Geographic photos type thing that we saw when I was a kid . The stereotype image was of a happy African woman with baby in sling, naked or near naked, doing tribal dancing so that white men could have a bit of titillation. Which is why I found it uncomfortable.

I know you did. The key thing is naked. You're not objected to imagery of African women carrying their children alone, and I thought it was getting twisted as if you had.

And I wouldn't want to give the husband ideas!

I certainly never did it! I like to be able to answer the door to receive my amazon parcels...

That’s so true, actually. I started wearing more around the house when I discovered internet shopping!