LIMITS TO RACISM? - "The White Ambassador" , Artist Nate Hill
Racism is a very delicate topic that has strung many cords with those of colored skin, but does this mean that they are the only ones who experience it? This is a very well known question when the topic of racism is under discussion. In a perfect we would like to believe that everyone one is treated equally with the same amount of respect. The color of our skin or the the way look to others should not be limits or equality. When looking back in our country’s history is it clear who are the ones who have experienced the highest level of racial discrimination. The African-American community has been placed on the target of racism for many years. Many believe that the “white man” is to be blamed for this dilemma. Considering that idea, there have been many times where blacks have said what could be considered to be racist things about whites. This brings us back to the question that asks if there are limits to racism and if one could be racist towards whites.
Artist Nate Hill his voice to try to find an answer to the question mentioned above. His piece titled “The White Ambassador” is a performance art piece done in New York that seeks to find the reaction of black and white people exposed to “white face”. Nate Hill performed this piece multiple times to find different reactions. His first piece was done in Harlem where he would tell black people that it was possible for them to be racist. Walking around in a suit with his face painted white, Hill managed to get the attention of many African-Americans walking the streets. After having loud conversations that brought more attention, he managed to see their point of view. After seeing how angry most blacks responding to being called racist, he decided to rephrase the word to being prejudice. Even though this did manage to calm them down he still noticed how they found ways to disagree with his claim. The African-American community in Harlem clarified their thoughts be telling Hill that they feel as though white people were the first to start being racist, that white people don’t need to be defended, and that white people don’t care what they think. This overall shows that they believe that they don’t have enough power to be racist. After hearing what they had to say in Harlem, Hill decided to head to the Upper East Side to record how the white community there responded to his appearance. Hill was not able to receive the same amount of attention as he did in Harlem. He then returned to Harlem on hi last performance to tell the black people that they were right. Maybe there are limits to racism, and perhaps it has not changed over years. Nate Hill’s performance provides valuable proof that racism is still alive in our country, but he also manages to demonstrate how limited it is to a certain race.
Reference: http://www.sociopath.online/the-white-ambassador.html