Whose history is it anyway? The case of Exhibit B

Arya, Rina

Abstract

In 2014, Brett Bailey{\textquoteright}s Exhibit B site-specific installation created a media storm and protests throughout Europe. One such protest was in London, leading to the cancellation of his show at the Barbican. Consternation caused by art work is not a new phenomenon, and indeed one of the enduring purposes of art is to push the boundaries of acceptability and to show sights that are normally kept hidden from the public gaze. From some of the Impressionists{\textquoteright} exhibits to twentieth century art works such as Andres Serrano{\textquoteright}s Piss Christ in 1987 and Chris Ofili{\textquoteright}s The Holy Virgin Mary 1996, art has caused offence in a variety of ways. This article examines Exhibit B to identify the reasons for its reception. In broad outline, as a white artist his presentation of black oppression was regarded at best as na{\

Citation

Arya, R. (2018). Whose history is it anyway? The case of Exhibit B. Journal for Cultural Research, 22, 27--38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14797585.2018.1426476

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 23, 2024
• Journal: Journal for Cultural Research
• Print ISSN: 1479-7585
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Volume: 22
• Pages: 27--38
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14797585.2018.1426476
• Keywords: censorship, Cultural appropriation, objectification
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4629509