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?

Isn’t it interesting what people see. I didn’t see her nude, or look at her skin colour or look at the washing machine and think she was doing laundry (but I see how the op wants it in her laundry room as she stands by a washing machine). I did see a mum and baby. Mamma is taking a break, reading something. Maybe the sound of the washing machine helps baby sleep? Who cares if she’s naked? I honestly didn’t see that when I looked at it. Then I saw you all say her clothes were in the machine. I did not “see” that much in the picture. I don’t know what country or culture she’s from. I actually cannot tell if she’s rich or poor. How do you get all this information and then how does everyone get so wound up? It’s such a touching pic of mum (with a healthy, normal body) and baby. For all of us who’ve had had babies, I think we can all relate to her. That’s it from me. I have no idea where the rest of the information you all have comes from.

No I don't think it is racist. She looks calm and serene wearing her baby and reading a book whilst waiting for her washing to finish. If I was to pigeonhole hole her she is wearing nice earrings and her hair looks nice so she looks middle class. I like it but don't have a laundry room.

Nobody is saying she is a poor African woman/ a maid.

What is being pointed out is that the stereotypical image of African women features a baby on the back. The stereotype of African Americans is 'housemaid'/ 'mammy' - 'The Help'.

The artist can't possibly have been blind to those stereotypes or the possibility that people will see her print and recall those one-note images that are quite derogatory, and confining, especially juxtaposed with the washing machine/symbol of cleaning and imperialism.

Art does not exist purely within its own frame. Art is always saying something. Guernica is not merely a hodge podge of contorted people and animals, randomly arranged but nicely balanced, in tones of grey, black and white.

(And it is unusual for a privately commissioned piece to end up sold commercially to a wider market).

mathanxiety See I don’t see those stereotypes. I se black people as people and don’t look at them as tribal in any way. Unless they have a strong accent and start jumping around the room with a big stick and talking in another language, I just see them as people like anyone else really. I don’t see anything in the picture to suggest a tribal or a maid.

I thought exactly the same as Itsalmostsummer- I just see a mum and baby first. I didn’t register she was naked to begin with and the fact that she’s black is irrelevant, I think- she could be any colour and to me it would have exactly the same meaning.

Like someone said before, it"s "wypipologists".
Black women aren't offended by the picture so why are you getting all jumpy about it!

I doubt many MNers speak Ebonics Duchess. So you can “wypipo” your head off, but you won’t be understood

Way to go OP! Mention racism in a post then piss off to a tent for a week while it all goes nuts!
Love the print, NOT BLOODY racist and hope you had a nice time camping 😉

Way to go OP! Mention racism in a post then piss off to a tent for a week while it all goes nuts!

Oh I’m sure she didn’t mean to be goady puff. You know how it is when you completely forget you’re about to go camping for the weekend

Battleax 😂

rosesandponies the actual artist has been on the thread and said the picture was a portrait, the woman in it commissioned it.

But here they're still trying to find racism in it.

No. I don't interpret this as racist. This is not hate. It's the opposite. It's love.

The lady has her baby in a tight sling which she uses to bond with her baby skin- to -skin. (I love these slings. Made from a single piece of cloth, they are the most natural way to hold a baby even though all the shops sell man-made types). She is bending over for the best position for her baby who is sound asleep. The washing machine will spin which will not only dry the clothes but also rock the baby whilst it's sleeping. The hum from the machine will produce background noise which will likewise lull the baby. The mother makes the best of the time reading in order to further her knowledge or simplyrics for escapism. As long as she keeps get nudity from others, then this is motherhood at its most realistic beauty. Keep it

It's all there all the same, QuackPorridgeBacon.

Art is not created in a vacuum and it does not exist in a vacuum once sold, bought and displayed.

Here’s a spanner, the baby in the picture looks white!

I don't relate to her because I have never wandered around the house naked , never carried a baby on my back and don't stand by the washing machine waiting for it to finish. Which may well explain why I would not want it on my wall.

rosesandponies the actual artist has been on the thread and said the picture was a portrait, the woman in it commissioned it.But here they're still trying to find racism in it

The artist is always going to give a story to make it look like she's not racist. Interesting though she then fucked off after briefly posting, and didn't answer any of the pertinent questions, like selling a private commission, why this is the only image of a woman doing chores yet sits in her yoga series, why if she's so interested in baby wearing, the only two images she has are of this black woman doing it. No one else. She can't be that interested can she?

And the racism is not aimed solely at painting it, it's also thr displaying it in isolation. Two different motivations.

Anyway as said for me, it's not racist, but it is sexist.

I saw at least one image of a white woman baby wearing in the thread. Was that by another artist?

"Here’s a spanner, the baby in the picture looks white!"

No, he/she doesn't. Possibly mixed race, besides, babies' skin is lighter to begin with, and darkens over time.

It’s sexist for women to look after their babies and do some laundry 😂 I’ve heard it all now. I’ll just leave the baby to it’s own devices and not look after it even though it’s been inside me for nine months. I’ll lush it out and then hand it over to the man so he can do his duty. I’ll sit back and do fuck all while he runs around doing everything for me, including somehow work and put the baby in childcare because I’m the woman and shouldn’t look after my own child. I see sexism a lot and it’s everywhere, but just because a woman looks after her baby and puts a load of laundry on, does not mean she is oppressed fs.

The lady has her baby in a tight sling which she uses to bond with her baby skin- to -skin. (I love these slings. Made from a single piece of cloth, they are the most natural way to hold a baby even though all the shops sell man-made types). She is bending over for the best position for her baby who is sound asleep. The washing machine will spin which will not only dry the clothes but also rock the baby whilst it's sleeping. The hum from the machine will produce background noise which will likewise lull the baby. The mother makes the best of the time reading in order to further her knowledge or simplyrics for escapism.

Agree.

Battleax Just like some won't understand what Ebonics means?
Yeah?

Art is always saying something.

Geurnica obviously is trying to say something, what with the bombing. I don't think that's comparable to this piece, which isn't trying to say something that precise.

I also disagree that art always has something to say. If I paint a landscape of a field with a tree, I'm not trying to make a point, I just think it's a pretty field. Likewise if someone asks me to paint their portrait... I'm just trying to capture them in their image, not say something philosophical or political.
Other people may project their own feelings onto these pictures, of course. Although, I think that's the viewer saying something, not the art itself.

Some art is absolutely made to make you think about certain things, but I don't think this is one of them.

Yeah, Duchess.

mathanxiety See I don’t see those stereotypes. I se black people as people and don’t look at them as tribal in any way. Unless they have a strong accent and start jumping around the room with a big stick and talking in another language, I just see them as people like anyone else really. I don’t see anything in the picture to suggest a tribal or a maid.

ER WHAT? a strong accent?