Episode 16: Systemic Racism and Museums (w/ Tania Comenencia)

We are trained to see the patterns in arts and culture, but too often white privilege gives us the opportunity to overlook the systemic racism in museums. This week’s guest is Tania Comenencia, a Dutch heritage researcher who focuses on the last legacy of slavery in the Netherlands, and she helps us further the discussion of how systemic racism impacts culture. Find out how the individual perspective impacts systemic racial biases in museum practice, how much we love museum postcards, where privilege creates blind spots, and how those of us in the arts and heritage field can speak out against all levels of prejudice. 

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Donate! Donate to Black Lives Matter LA, the Action Bail Fund, Black Visions Collective. To donate even when you're unemployed, watch Zoe Amira's BLM youtube video—100% of the video's ad revenue will be donated to causes. Please be sure you've signed petitions.

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Our music was written and recorded by Elene Kadagidze. 

Our cover art was designed by Lindsey Anton-Wood, featuring work by Alkenah Wansing. 

List of Public Sources:

• https://medium.com/@kaijohnson1/enough-already-with-the-statements-of-solidarity-arts-world-c2d1ee03e899

• https://www.museumsarenotneutral.com

• https://lynchinginamerica.eji.org

• https://www.artnews.com/gallery/art-news/photos/george-floyd-murals-1202689844/america-protests-california-redwood-city-united-states-02-jun-2020/

• https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/from-artists-and-curators-reading-lists-to-confront-racism-and-injustice

• https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/arts/racism-writings-books-movies.html

• https://hyperallergic.com/568331/sfmoma-george-floyd-instagram-comments-disabled/

• https://hyperallergic.com/569120/week-in-review-a-mural-for-george-floyd-walker-art-center-to-stop-working-with-police-department/

• https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/frank-rizzo-monument-removed-1202689647/

• https://mailchi.mp/2993f3e9c325/freedomfunds

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WTpCGfmzFtHikEH6teksn2gqINWcM2AXU9DzdgyhK24/edit#gid=508580945

• https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/museums-controversy-george-floyd-protests-1202689494/

• https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/museums-police-divest-black-lives-matter-1202690076/

• https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/art-world-black-lives-matter-protests-repsonse-1202689676/

• https://hyperallergic.com/568977/cultural-institutions-open-lobby-to-protesters/

• https://hyperallergic.com/569393/toledo-museum-nonpartisan-approach/

• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/video/racist-images-and-messages-in-jim-crow-era/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNGOZTplpVw

• https://art21.org/read/polyculturalist-visions-new-frameworks-of-representation-multiculturalism-and-the-american-culture-wars/

• http://arthistoryteachingresources.org/lessons/race-and-identity/