Mwangi Hutter
Neger Don't Call Me, 2000
Video 11:34 min, 4 wooden chairs, loudspeakers, 4-channel audio
Edition of 4 plus 1 artist's proof
Séries: Video
Copyright de lâArtiste
The installation is composed of a large video projection on which the artist is to be seen 'wearing' various masks made of her own dread-locked hair that has been draped,...
The installation is composed of a large video projection on which the artist is to be seen
'wearing' various masks made of her own dread-locked hair that has been draped, knotted
and braided over her face. The visual impression of the masks: threatening, animal-like or
appearing to be from different ethnic groups, is supported by vocal sounds such as chanting
and growling.
Opposite the projection four chairs are placed. Through built-in loud speakers Mwangi's
voice is heard through the chair seats; fragmented sentences of how she was confronted
with stereotypical clichés and the fact of being considered 'different' due to looks, after
having left Kenya to live in Germany. Using the example of the German word 'Neger', a word
in which the history of racist ideology still echoes, the spoken fragments explain the feeling
of wrongness the artist sensed when faced with the use of discriminating words or ignorant
actions.
The visual and acoustic dialog that occurs between the masking on the video projection and
the personal narration sounding from the chairs serve to echo the constant dialog that
takes place between self and society.
'wearing' various masks made of her own dread-locked hair that has been draped, knotted
and braided over her face. The visual impression of the masks: threatening, animal-like or
appearing to be from different ethnic groups, is supported by vocal sounds such as chanting
and growling.
Opposite the projection four chairs are placed. Through built-in loud speakers Mwangi's
voice is heard through the chair seats; fragmented sentences of how she was confronted
with stereotypical clichés and the fact of being considered 'different' due to looks, after
having left Kenya to live in Germany. Using the example of the German word 'Neger', a word
in which the history of racist ideology still echoes, the spoken fragments explain the feeling
of wrongness the artist sensed when faced with the use of discriminating words or ignorant
actions.
The visual and acoustic dialog that occurs between the masking on the video projection and
the personal narration sounding from the chairs serve to echo the constant dialog that
takes place between self and society.