This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/may/31/exhibit-italian-villa-art-objectification-black-body-resignifications-blackamoors-nyu

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Exhibit takes Italian villa's art to tackle today's objectification of the black body NYU confronts stereotypes with exhibition of racially charged art
(35 minutes later)
When the late British writer, art connoisseur and friend of the Queen, Sir Harold Acton, bequeathed his family’s Italian villa to New York University in 1994, the gift included a vast trove of art valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. But among the 6,000-piece collection were 35 works that left some of La Pietra’s new owners feeling uncomfortable.When the late British writer, art connoisseur and friend of the Queen, Sir Harold Acton, bequeathed his family’s Italian villa to New York University in 1994, the gift included a vast trove of art valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. But among the 6,000-piece collection were 35 works that left some of La Pietra’s new owners feeling uncomfortable.
Ellyn Toscano, who has served as the director of La Pietra since 2004, recalls being taken aback the first time she was confronted by the pieces that are now known as the “Blackamoors”, a collection of sculptures and paintings of ornamental black images that are elegantly dressed and depicted in acts of servitude – and are located throughout the villa’s grounds. Ellyn Toscano, who has served as the director of La Pietra since 2004, recalls being taken aback the first time she was confronted by the pieces that are now known as the “Blackamoors”, a collection of sculptures and paintings of black figures, elegantly dressed and depicted in acts of servitude – and are located throughout the villa’s grounds.
“You go to a room and there is a Blackamoor holding a lantern, lighting the way,” she says.“You go to a room and there is a Blackamoor holding a lantern, lighting the way,” she says.
“I had been working in the south Bronx for 20 years, and [the statues] have these strange resonance with [black] lawn jockeys,” she adds, referring to the controversial – some say misunderstood – lawn statues in the US that are seen as romantacising the US’s history of slavery.“I had been working in the south Bronx for 20 years, and [the statues] have these strange resonance with [black] lawn jockeys,” she adds, referring to the controversial – some say misunderstood – lawn statues in the US that are seen as romantacising the US’s history of slavery.
Toscano says that during her first tour of La Pietra, Italian art historians viewed the works as an afterthought and not particularly controversial because they were considered as minor decorative art in comparison with the “important” other works on display in the 15th-century villa.Toscano says that during her first tour of La Pietra, Italian art historians viewed the works as an afterthought and not particularly controversial because they were considered as minor decorative art in comparison with the “important” other works on display in the 15th-century villa.
“But to an American racialised consciousness, the Blackamoors are startling,” she says.“But to an American racialised consciousness, the Blackamoors are startling,” she says.
Now, NYU in Florence has assembled a thematic exhibit called ReSignifications in which both established and emerging artists are presenting new work inspired by the controversial decorative art.Now, NYU in Florence has assembled a thematic exhibit called ReSignifications in which both established and emerging artists are presenting new work inspired by the controversial decorative art.
The exhibit is part of an effort by NYU to come to terms with its own holding of the racially charged art and, Toscano says, is meant to help students studying at the campus “confront and understand them”.The exhibit is part of an effort by NYU to come to terms with its own holding of the racially charged art and, Toscano says, is meant to help students studying at the campus “confront and understand them”.
The work on display is centred around the theme of the objectification of black bodies today – whether in sport, stereotypes, or the anonymous images seen in the news every day of black migrants fleeing war and economic hardships in Africa for Europe via the Mediterranean.The work on display is centred around the theme of the objectification of black bodies today – whether in sport, stereotypes, or the anonymous images seen in the news every day of black migrants fleeing war and economic hardships in Africa for Europe via the Mediterranean.
The controversial works on display in La Pietra are believed to have been collected by Acton’s parents in the 1920s and 1930s, but are from the 17th and 18th century, when bourgeoisie owners of such statues – made by local craftsmen in Italy – wanted their homes to emulate those of aristocratic families.The controversial works on display in La Pietra are believed to have been collected by Acton’s parents in the 1920s and 1930s, but are from the 17th and 18th century, when bourgeoisie owners of such statues – made by local craftsmen in Italy – wanted their homes to emulate those of aristocratic families.
“Blackamoors were currency. People were buying and trading them. They were in the rooms where people were having parties and socialising. These objects became synonymous with what it meant to be an upper middle-class person,” said Prof Awam Amkpa, curator of the NYU exhibit.“Blackamoors were currency. People were buying and trading them. They were in the rooms where people were having parties and socialising. These objects became synonymous with what it meant to be an upper middle-class person,” said Prof Awam Amkpa, curator of the NYU exhibit.
Amkpa says the “context of objectification” of black bodies is continuing, even as progress has been made to stamp out historical objectification. Whether it is images on the news of police shootings in the US against – predominantly – black men, the presence of African migrants in Europe, or atrocities in Africa, such as the kidnapping and raping of women by the Boko Haram in Nigeria, Amkpa says the exhibit puts today’s objectification of the black body in the context of history.Amkpa says the “context of objectification” of black bodies is continuing, even as progress has been made to stamp out historical objectification. Whether it is images on the news of police shootings in the US against – predominantly – black men, the presence of African migrants in Europe, or atrocities in Africa, such as the kidnapping and raping of women by the Boko Haram in Nigeria, Amkpa says the exhibit puts today’s objectification of the black body in the context of history.
Blackamoor imagery has even seen a revival in some fashion houses, including Dolce & Gabbana in their spring 2013 show.Blackamoor imagery has even seen a revival in some fashion houses, including Dolce & Gabbana in their spring 2013 show.
The NYU exhibit has also highlighted Italy’s own particular colonial relationship with Africa, which Toscano says is not often discussed in Italy today. Slaves were brought to Italy on Portuguese ships, Toscano says, and were used as house servants during the renaissance.The NYU exhibit has also highlighted Italy’s own particular colonial relationship with Africa, which Toscano says is not often discussed in Italy today. Slaves were brought to Italy on Portuguese ships, Toscano says, and were used as house servants during the renaissance.
“There is a record of the Sassetti family – the family that built La Pietra – buying a slave girl. There is a chapel and a painting where all the children of the family are depicted and there is a black girl off to the side, which we assume was her,” Toscano says.“There is a record of the Sassetti family – the family that built La Pietra – buying a slave girl. There is a chapel and a painting where all the children of the family are depicted and there is a black girl off to the side, which we assume was her,” Toscano says.
Slavery in Italy was different to that in America, she says. It did not endure – unlike the US – and children born to black mothers and white fathers were free, taking on the status of a white person.Slavery in Italy was different to that in America, she says. It did not endure – unlike the US – and children born to black mothers and white fathers were free, taking on the status of a white person.
Local factories in Florence and Venice still produce Blackamoors, which Amkpa says wealthy people still buy. But today they are also being sold in Africawhere they are purchased by wealthy people in Angola and Nigeria, he says.Local factories in Florence and Venice still produce Blackamoors, which Amkpa says wealthy people still buy. But today they are also being sold in Africawhere they are purchased by wealthy people in Angola and Nigeria, he says.
“It is kind of stunning, but that tells you that it is not just about race but about class and aspirations of people who have come into money and want to live up to the stereotype of that wealth.”“It is kind of stunning, but that tells you that it is not just about race but about class and aspirations of people who have come into money and want to live up to the stereotype of that wealth.”