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daredtowork

(3,732 posts)
Sun Dec 14, 2014, 09:45 PM Dec 2014

Berkeley "I Can't Breathe" Noose Hung by Artist Collective

xpost from GD...

As it turns out, the students who guessed that this was an "artistic gesture" in the tradition of Banksy and Basquiat were right:



Berkleyside, who has been closely following this issue, just posted an "artist's statement":

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/12/13/effigy-hung-from-sather-gate-before-berkeley-protest-march/



This post is an update for the original post here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025955939

I have mixed feelings about this.
If black people made the statement, then it's a comment on their own history, not racism.
They made the comment in THE iconic "place of free speech".

The potential for inciting violence/rioting/looting in this context, right before the Oakland Black Lives Matter Million March was pretty high, though. Was that message/intent deliberate?

Ps. GD post here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025961302

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Berkeley "I Can't Breathe" Noose Hung by Artist Collective (Original Post) daredtowork Dec 2014 OP
I'm mixed too. Having them just spontaneously appear around town was a bit much. arcane1 Dec 2014 #1
If the artists were black, I think it is genius...but... daredtowork Dec 2014 #2
 

arcane1

(38,613 posts)
1. I'm mixed too. Having them just spontaneously appear around town was a bit much.
Sun Dec 14, 2014, 09:52 PM
Dec 2014

This would've probably made more sense as an exhibit, or at least something that's announced ahead of time, or having the artist's name clearly visible. I understand their desire for shock value, but in this case the shock was a misinterpretation of the purpose of the whole thing.

Who knows? Ten years from now it might be regarded as genius

daredtowork

(3,732 posts)
2. If the artists were black, I think it is genius...but...
Sun Dec 14, 2014, 10:10 PM
Dec 2014

The timing was extremely dangerous, and wrong assumptions about the culprits could have led to violence that might have undermined that terrific Oakland Million March led by Black Brunch.

The artist's statement should have gone up with the work.

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