We are proud to go live with the online exhibition website Backtalk: Artists on Native, African, and African American Stereotypes for the Smithsonian Museum of African Art. Backtalk focuses on a diverse group of artists from various backgrounds, geographies, and contexts who have addressed intersecting themes and subjects relevant to the impact of cultural and racial stereotypes. Backtalk features works by nine 20th- and 21st-century artists who capture, reflect, and/or speak back to the stereotype.
These artists challenge historical assumptions and destabilize Western power dynamics by unveiling the profound influence of colonization and racism on the writing of history. All of the works in Backtalk speak from the perspective of the “Other,” and invite us to rethink the impact of institutionalized racism and sexism on issues of individual identity, authenticity, and the history of representation.