Latin female artist draws criticism for Times Square mural
I am sick and tired of black folks protesting stuff they have no business protesting.
The object of my latest disgust is a fledgling uprising against Puerto Rican/Cuban artist Sofia Maldonado, a 26-year old Brooklyn resident. Maldonado painted a 92-foot mural that is located at 215 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues in Manhattan.
Organized primarily by the “Urban Community Council” and a Meetup Group “New York City Black Professionals”, the protest claims that Maldonado’s mural negatively portrays Black and Latino women. Anthony Herbert, the founder of the Urban Community Council, a “social organization” that works to find funds for families of gun violence victims, held a press conference on March 11.
Mural by Sofia Maldonado . Photos by Alex Mateo, www.mateophoto.com
“The way the women are depicted, it is clearly very disrespectful. They are scantily clad and it is disrespectful to any upstanding women in the community. It’s a negative representation of what we in our community are trying to avoid,” said Herbert. “We have to shed a positive light. They’re [women in the mural] bent over, the implication that their breasts are coming out, it’s just ridiculous.”
Alberto Magnan is the owner of Magnan Metz Gallery and has been representing Maldonado since 2005. “Sofia has done many murals in Puerto Rico, New York, and Connecticut, some in neighborhoods that were very Puerto Rican, Latin or black,” said Magnan. “We’ve never had any reaction like this before; in fact people have always loved it.”
Magnan said Maldonado calls the women in her mural “Supergirls” and speculates that Herbert “may not know what Sofia is about.”
“My gallery works with Latinas and international artists, I have a respect for Latina artists and am trying to integrate the Latin market and American market to make sure they are well represented,” said Magnan. “Sofia is Puerto Rican, maybe it would be a problem if the artist was White American, but she is Puerto Rican, from San Juan and lives in Bed-Stuy.”
Mural by Sofia Maldonado . Photos by Alex Mateo, www.mateophoto.com
So what is Maldonado about? Her statement about the mural says it “illustrates strong New York City women as a tribute to the Caribbean experience in America. Inspired by my heritage, it illustrates a female aesthetic that is not usually represented in media or fashion advertising in Times Square. It recognizes the beauty of underground cultures such as reggaeton, hip-hop and dancehall and incorporates trends such as nail art and Latina fashion.”
The Times Square Alliance is a business improvement district that partners with respected arts organizations in New York City. Maldonado was recommended by the Cuban Artists Fund. Once an artist is recommended to the Alliance, an Art Review Committee, comprised of art experts in the city, evaluates the work, its artistic quality and whether it meets the audience of Times Square. Then the Alliance works with the artist to develop the project. The mural debuted on March 2 and will run through April 30. Maldonado is the first woman to get mural space in Times Square, something we should be celebrating.
Manager of Public Art and Design at The Times Square Alliance, Glenn Weiss said a woman named “Lady C” sent him a letter asking for the mural to be taken down, then another letter calling for his resignation. Herbert said that he learned of the mural through the same outraged “Lady C.” Note to self: do not use moniker when sending formal protest letter.
“If she doesn’t talk to us, she denies us as an organization, to expand our learning experience, which I think is what she wants,” said Weiss. “I would love to speak to her.”
Well, that made one of us. But through an anonymous source, I did get the original email sent out by Lady C: “This art is an affront to all the hardworking Black and Latino women who struggle to maintain their dignity in a world that feels that there is no repercussions for disrespecting us. This mural is unacceptable. Black and Latino women should not be treated this way and depicted in such a negative light. Not one business or professional woman is represented in the mural for balance.”
I find it interesting that no one is protesting the skateboarder chick in the mural. Where are the people who think that it’s inappropriate for a woman to wear pants and ride a skateboard?
Now, let’s talk about this art, or as Herbert called it, “stupidity”. As a proponent of free speech, and a woman of color (though the colored powers that be might try to revoke my black card after this piece), I am in total support of Maldonado.
Mural by Sofia Maldonado . Photos by Alex Mateo, www.mateophoto.com
I checked out some of Sofia Maldonado’s artwork and the women are consistent with the style of women she draws: round, distorted with long exaggerated limbs (often very long fingers and nails; she places an emphasis on the popularity of nail art). In some ways, her imagery reminds me of aspects of renowned African-American artist Kara Walker.
At first glance, yes, the figures in Maldonado’s mural make you look twice, maybe even scrunch up your nose in a WTF kind of way but so do the figures in any of Walker’s pieces. Herbert notes “the implication that their breasts are coming out.” Are we saying that the breasts are a body part that should be hidden? Or maybe, only hidden if the breasts are like some of the Supergirls – more floppy, round, and not perky? When is it permissible to be “scantily clad”? I could see if the Supergirls were wearing pasties on their nipples (oops, wait a minute – does that mean Janet or Lil’ Kim isn’t upstanding?) but the clothes are consistent with contemporary fashion given an artistic spin. In fact, I’ve got shirts that probably show just as much breast and I’ll be damned if you tell me that implies I’m a slut or a ho, even if I’m “bent over”, as the campaign’s first email suggested about the Supergirls.
Whether we want to admit it or not, the heart of this controversy lies in the aspects of urban culture that Maldonado’s mural highlights – big, gold, doorknocker earrings, belly button rings, nameplate finger-rings, stiletto boots, hi-top sneakers, short skirts, tight pants, long, colorful, fake fingernails, and dyed hair. (Pop quiz: Which came first: the nail salon or the fake nails with jewels glued on the tips?) Oh, and we can’t forget the Doobie – you know when the girls wear their hair wrapped around their head, held strategically in place by a few long bobby pins? In fact, after I wrote this piece, I went into Subway Restaurant and stood in line behind a young girl of color wearing high tops and a Doobie. On the 6 train at 125th, a woman of color got on with tight pants, long colored finger nails, and purple bangs. Ironically, one of the Supergirls has purple hair.
Is it possible that we suffer a secret shame induced by our short-skirt, fake-nail, breasts coming out with the belly fat hanging over, Doobie-rocking gals? By the hood chicks? The ghetto-style supergirls, proud to be themselves and will punch you in the eye if you suggest otherwise? I would say yes. And when that shame is magnified, by say 92 feet, our first reaction is to cry, “Take it down! I can’t stand to see.” Or maybe, “Take it down so the good white folks don’t see our shame.”
This is an opportunity to detach from our knee-jerk, inferiority complex reactions, and open a dialogue, for young and grown, about how we see ourselves and how we try to manage how other people see us. To protest Maldonado’s mural and call for its removal, claiming her Supergirls are a negative representation, is to protest and silence the existence of these Supergirls in our everyday urban culture. And that is a far greater injustice than a tank-top sporting, voluptuous, cartoon woman with long, colorful fake fingernails on display in Times Square.
Hello Keisha Whitaker:
Please see my comments on your illuminating article at the Root. I’ve posted so many comments online, that I’m seeing stars. However, I wanted to let you know I greatly appreciate you article here. Your manifesto, if I may call it that, is erudite and comprehensive. Your writing style is so rich with everything one loves to encounter: humor, style, wit, pride if not outright arrogance in places, grace, literacy, the whole nine yards.
I more than loved reading your statement here.
It points to issues that we face as artists and as “consumers” of art that face us, in this case, what is correct? What is insulting and degrading? How are we to deal with our outrage against perceived insults?
Your Manifesto is like nothing I have ever read before except maybe the Manifesto written by the Italian Futurists a hundred years ago, concerning art. I will try to save and treasure this article.
The issues here are ones I cannot completely decide on but I will certainly consider your statement so eloquently written here today.
Thank you, you set a new standard in protest, free speech and love for Black women.
Love you, girl, you’re the one!
Kara Walker, scolding “Lady C” for using her moniker as a part of her protest against this travesty is rather small and sorid on your part. The point is simpley this: irregardless of what moniker “Lady C” used, you understood the gist of her comments and I’m totally sure that “Lady C” is most satisfied with that.
And as for the woman wearing pants and riding a skateboard, and the lack of consternation to that fact, was the “skateboarder chick” wearing attire more consistant with a “hoochie”? No? Then as far as I’m concerned, enough said!
I thoroughly agree with “Lady C” in that painting a mural which depicts women of color wearing business clothing is more possitive and edifying to the entire community.
AJD,
Thanks for your comments. They’re sincerely appreciated!!
Keysha, I applaud you for being such an educated writer who does her homework before the critique. I am from Puerto Rico and see no offense with these ladies in the mural. Although I don’t dress like any of them, I can relate to many of these ladies and like you, see many of them in my community. I have seen other murals in Puerto Rico by this artist, and it is true what you say this is her style. I don’t understand why people just don’t relax and enjoy it, I never saw any reaction like this in Puerto Rico where the artist, Sofia, has done many other murals and the ladies in them have had skimpy sexy clothing and curvy voluptuous bodies. The mural beautifies our city and this artist is definitely very talented.
I’ve enjoyed reading your article, it is excellent, very thorough and informative for those out there who do not know the background of the artist. Excellent article with much information to calm and educate New Yorkers!
Great article, Keysha. I totally agree.
I applaud the women of “Urban Community Council” and “New York City Black Professionals”, for wanting to organize, around something.
I’d like to see their efforts aimed at something like criticizing NYC, for sending Plaxico Burress to prison, as a result of shooting himself, but letting the pigs, who killed Shawn Bell, off the hook.
Also, in my mind, a really effective way, to deal with things we don’t like, is to create a dual and contending power- an alternative.
Do The Work!
I just loved this article, it really verbalized all my thoughts on this issue. Thank you so much!
I am white and I LOVE this mural! The ladies are beautiful just being themselves. Why do they have to wear a “business clothing” to be edifying? So they can look just like everyone else in Times Square? Let them be themselves. Thank you Keisha for your article and Sofia for you art!
Here in PR, Sofia has painted her skinny, junkie/hoe-looking women everywhere…and they look great!
Seeing this controversy from a neutral point of view, I see and understand what the haters are saying, because in reality, Sofia DOES paint women that look like hoes, BUT I also understand Sofia’s point and I completely agree with her!
I think these people are overreacting to their shame. That’s all.
Since Fox News decided to put some of its might behind the Lady C controversy, here’s proof that the network knows its audience all too well. The following clip is from the Hooter girls visit to the Fox News Strategy Room program to hawk a calendar: http://video.foxnews.com/v/3941855/hooters-finest/?playlist_id=86986. If these women are celebrated, why can’t we celebrate those in Sofia’s mural?
You know, Sophia Maldonado’s work reminds me of Ernie Barnes’. I think this mural is great because it shows the uniqueness and differences in everday women while showing that it is normal and in fact CONVENTIONAL. I love it!. Great post!
Hello again, Keysha. I have been thinking about your manifesto and the situation with what some see as the artist, Maldonado’s controversial mural. I have posted a lengthy comment at The Root and hope you will have a chance to read it there. Again, what I like most of all about your rant here is that it is so well communicated, well written and it expresses your love and good will towards artists and young AA women proud of what God gave them
Redod: smh @ Fox News. Thanks for sharing that clip.
A.J.: I did see your comments on The Root! Great discourse!
Laos: LOL @ “skinny, junkie/hoe-looking women”
EVERYONE: I’m so very pleased to see the variety of opinions we have here and the insight each of you have raised. Thanks again for all your great comments and compliments!
Cara stop playing game
Being a former Brooklynite and wanna be hip-hopper when I was young, I can see the beauty in the young ladies that are represented in the murals. I love the confidence that women of color display when they wear clothing that is deemed unacceptable by the majority society.
However, as the parent of two young ladies, I know that all to often this type of clothing/presentation brands these young women as “ghetto,” “hoe,” “hoochie,” etc. I suppose their defiance in sticking to their style is admirable since I think they know the old, majority and conservative cultures look down at them. I will admit that I have done everything in my power to keep my girls away from the urban culture that inspired the mural. To me the negatives outweigh the positives.
BUT, I think this style of dress and acting (“the don’t look twice at me, or I’ll knock your block off”) also reminds us of the limits put on young women of color in our country. It represents a lack of opportunity; that no one takes urban/poor young women (or men) seriously; a lack of an alternative vision for their lives.
Lady C is just the latest voice that wants “respectability” for black women. Used to be called “lifting as we climbed.” “Nice” images- Michelle Obama et al in majority-approved clothing- are the kind of images I’d rather my daughters and all our young women got to see on a daily basis. If we are truly honest we must admit that images of beautiful and tastefully attired black women don’t do anything to change the lack of opportunity for young women of color. And even tastefully dressed women of color are treated like “hoes” everyday.
Ms Whitaker,
Thank you for your article! The reality is, we can’t all be “respectable Negroes/Negresses” and, quite frankly, a lot of us DON’T WANT TO BE.
All sides of our culture – and the culture of our Puerto Rican and Cuban brothers and sisters – have a right to be presented, and Ms Maldonado’s mural does a fine job of that.
Gregory A. Butler
I don’t usually take the more conservative postion on these things, but this is not the image of Black/Brown women I want to see in a place largely travelled by White tourists who’ve hardly seen a real Black (let alone Puerto Rican) woman in real life. I don’t think that everything that looks like a stereotype is perpetuating one, but I feel that this falls on the bad side of that argument.
I don’t want to offer an art critique here. Maldonado is free to paint women as she pleases. I will say that as a New Yorker, I don’t think these pieces are placed in an appropriate venue. Images like this do scream “stereotype” when presented in a certain context and I get that here. Perhaps if they were a more diverse group, instead of all dressed in ill-fitting club gear. It makes me uncomfortable and I think whomever commissioned it should have rejected the sketches when she presented them.
Do some of us dress this way? Sure. Is there a time and place to dress that way and to present these images? Sure. Is it Times Square? I say hell no. The one of the woman in yellow grabbing her boobs like a TV hooker leaning in a car window is the worst one for me. I do not appreciate this one bit in this particular space.
Black and Brown female bodies have endured enough. I am tired of competing with these images. Again, perhaps if she had done a woman with a conservative look and a woman with a Hijab and a stud…but all “hoochies”? I’m not with it. As a Jez commenter pointed out, the location made her think it was a nod to the old days of prostituion in Times Square.
I live in Bed-Stuy, grew up in Philly (mural city) and went to school in Tallahassee until i transferred. In each one of these places sisters dressed in a range of ways. I wish the artist could have captured that range. The same way we see girls half-dressed, we see girls who wear sneakers, tight jeans, skinny belts and hoodies, girls who look like they’re on their way to a semi-casual church, and girls who look like straight up boys, etc. i don’t get why this mural limits the depiction to the ones who are half dressed. it feels weird to me. Of course I take issue with the protestors’ use of classist, sexist language like “upstanding”—as if women who dress like most of the ones in the mural aren’t. But I agree with Sista Toldja: I’m sick of competing with these images. Context is key and the mural doesn’t provide any.
I don’t understand why critiques of this type of imagery is always reduced to “our secret shame” or afraid of white folks seeing it. What about just a concern for young Black/Hispanic women themselves who feel pressured to look overly sexualized to get a boyfriend, because this is what they think being grown and sexy is about? Have you ever attended either the Puerto Rican or West Indian Day parades? Go once and feast your eyes on belly fat with c section scars, stretch marks, ashy butt crack and flags worn as mini skirts, etc- Nothing wrong with being proud of your culture, but what is so great about images that look like this always representing the women in our cultures? For me, the answer is not the polar extreme of looking all sweet and churchy; but it would be a nice change to see Black/Latin goth kids or rock/skate Black/Latinas than paintings of broads with sloppy tatas and 3 inch nails. But i do understand this is not Maldonado’s reality. What if a White artist living in the hood created these, would it still be ok? There’s nothing revolutionary about loving these images when it’s just more of the same. And nope i’m not a prude, i have seen a few paintings of Black pin up girls that were incredibly sexy. As a Black woman i’m just tired of always hearing how being ghetto-excuse me urban-is something to celebrate.
oops, sorry meant to add-i grew up in neighborhoods like Maldonado’s. There are plenty of beautiful Black/Brown young women with their own flavor (I got my penchant for big silver hoops from somewhere)-and these young ladies don’t look like 1970′s Times Square hoes neither.
How is her art work different from the works of Ernie Barnes and artwork like “Sugar Shack” that was a Marvin Gaye album and on every episode for the closing credits of Good Times, an all-Black television show?
I think this is the typical case of conservative attitudes slandering art that isn’t agreeable to them, and cares to sow all of us that this isn’t about race but about perceptions and values.
As a black woman and native New Yorker, it seems to me a lot of the pearl-clutching surrounding this piece boils down to “white people are lookin’ at you”. Check Wanda Sykes HBO special if you don’t get the reference.
Quite frankly I think the people who are against this mural need to take a look in the mirror. A lot of the language I’m hearing in the blogosphere from the people protesting this mural says way more about them than Ms. Maldonado. Why is it that “ghetto” has become an adjective to project every sort of neurotic classist, sexist “we’re not like THOSE (insert slur for working class ethnic group of your choice here)” nonsense from the Jack & Jill set? It’s a self-imposed caste system and it’s disgusting.
No, I’m not into that kind of street culture personally. But as a queer, non-conformist black woman deeply involved in alternative subcultures I’ve gotten my share of shit from these bougie types in my own family for not conforming to their ideas of what upstanding black women are supposed to look like. Art is supposed to provoke thought, get people talking. Good art is not supposed to be edgy for edgy’s sake, but it often DOES make people uncomfortable and challenge people to examine their beliefs and prejudices. PoC women in particular seem to be damned if we do and damned if we don’t. These bougie assholes need to focus on issues that matter and stop trying to silence a Latin@ artist. Dress it up however you want to, whether it’s disingenuous “what about the children” crap or whatever, it’s just the same old Victorian BS colored brown, punishing women for daring to do something they don’t approve of. If they disapprove of this woman’s art, why don’t they take some of that time and money and sponsor a starving PoC artist whose artistic voice they approve of. But I bet the Kyriarchy is laughing again at us doing its work for it.
Clearly everyone is entitled to their own opinions and perspectives. what bothers me most is that black woman first off raised and were the life coaches of the babies of their white slave masters. yet they were raped and treated like the hoes that were depicted by this artist in this failure of artistic expression. those pseudo black negroes up in here who have turned their noses up on those who stood in Times Square to fight for what they believed to be right just as this artist feels she is should be ashamed of themselves. As for the artist who claim that she lives in Bedstuy…..let me tell you something, she would have never gotten the opportunity to paint that mess in Brooklyn in Bedstuy, becasue it would be stained with paint and tagged by the gang bangers, and the so called project woman who would have chased her ass of the block if she had even attempted to put such trash up on our walls.
The reality is, the Times Square Alliance allowed this to happen and they and had a number of pieces to chose from, so lets not act like this chick did not know what she was allowed to paint. She got her check of $10,000 and did what they told her to do. So you ignorant fools keep going on about how she is great and is so talented, when the truth is …..this was an assault by those white so called artistic executives who run the Times Square Alliance, to once again disrespect black folks. Point of information….If it were not for some of those Black woman of yesterday that this mural mocks in parody, that Latina would have never gotten the opportunity to have this monstrosity placed in Times Square in the name of Art!!!!
I am so tired of people being so friggin’ uptight about dumb shit like this…. Really?! A mural like this is more demeaning than say…. tv shows like Flava of Love, Charm School, or hell, even Jersey Shore that is seen by MILLIONS of people around the world?! How about worrying about how the media portrays americans …in general to the rest of the world?
This mural is only seen by people who are in the neighborhood…. but since these very people who wanted the mural taken down created so much drama about it, now there is media coverage, so more people get to view it. DOH!? Protest FAIL!
People who are protesting this mural should be protesting the media to stop promoting scantily clad women period. By the way, we see enough stiffs (people in business suits and briefcases) walking down the street, we don’t need to see a mural of it.
I understand what Ms. Maldonado was trying to to but I find it disgusting. It’s just portraying the image that all white people think of minority women. It’s bad enough that a Latina painted it but that its put up right on 42nd street which is primarily visited by white people and tourist makes it worse they are just going laugh it feel that there is nothing wrong with the image which is not right how would you like if your daughter/sister/niece was portrayed in an image like that?
would the mural still be considered offensive if the women were a different color – same features, same attire, same body shapes but blue, orange or green?
This conversation lets you know the mindset of the people who want to fight for the right to appear subversive, but basically end up shouting the overly simplified, predictable claims of “BOURGIE!!” that was tired back in the 1970′s. If you want to see busted chicks presented then that’s fine, but if you are unable to present a point without getting gully without the ignant name caling, well that’s on you. And spare me the cyberspace psychology with the “ya’ll just don’t want white folks looking at us!” retort. Stupid racists are always going to see what they want, so personally, that is not a concern of mine.
But this is the main argument being used to defend this art and it’s amazing. Black folks cussing out other Blacks who are tired of negative imagery. That is some of the most ignorant, backwards bs I have ever heard. It’s cool to not understand the controversy, but even the writer’s words ‘black folks protesting stuff they have no biz protesting’ raises questions. And for the ‘well why don’t yall protest this and that’–how do you know the critics of this mural haven’t already voiced their opinions re: coonery in the media? You can’t get a show like Flava of Luv cancelled because the network is a conglomerate monster. But a mural in Times Square is more accessible, and some people have chosen to speak out against it. What is wrong with that? And as far as the “art” itself (aside from the racial subtext)-does anyone really see the beauty or aesthetic value of this mural, or is it just an excuse to make an attempt to practice reverse classism?
and again- why is it that when some Black people don’t relate to the certain types of art (this mural, Tyler Perry flicks-lol), the first word to be shouted is BOURGIE? Is that the best you can do-not relating to these images is the same as ‘yall just trying to be white, and make white folks like yall! Ya’ll bougie mofos ain’t keeping it RE-ALLLLLL!!!’-not the most original thought, is it?
[I could see if the Supergirls were wearing pasties on their nipples (oops, wait a minute – does that mean Janet or Lil’ Kim isn’t upstanding?)]
Umm am i the only one who doesn’t find Janet or Lil’ Kim upstanding at all… What’s there to look up to in those two?? Am i the only one who finds this imagery of the women not unique in anyway – basically just supporting a stereo type… maybe it feeds the wanna-be-down-ness in some of us but to me it’s talking loud and sayin’ nothing.
My 2 cents…
The message that is being sent from the mural translated differently to each individual who looks at it.
This is how art is in reality. I am not offended by the imagery in the mural because there is a reality about it-look around and it has a real live body inside of it. But my interpretation of the breasts and elongated limbs is different. We often carry so much on our spirits and hearts that the fullness tends to make us seem top heavy. I am looking at this from a strictly imagery point of view. I also find that WOC tend to stretch ourselves out to meet so many different needs and demands.
This is not an offense piece to me. I find myself far more offended by other images that pollute the airways on a daily basis. I am sure that there are women who are far more comfortable with the reflections of imagery that they like. But out of the box has its place too.
I always find it unsettling when the discussion of imagery is raised in art. Are we not mature enough yet to accept more than one image as valid? Or will we continue to remain stuck in the mode that declares each one of our artist has to produce what we deem to be “politically correct” work?
these images proliferate on bet, reality shows such as flava flav, new york, you get the drift. the images of black women as jezebel, sapphire and mammy have gotten stronger since slavery. we recognize that there are an array of images of black women in our community. it’s problematic when it’s the only image we see. is this what we want our daughters to aspire to? we can have images of black women that are not hypersexualized. it’s not about being uptight or conservative, that’s too simplistic. but it does speak to the psychopolitical dynamics of our community and how we view black women vis a vis culture. so would i rather see depictions of poets, writers, political leaders, etc., well, yes. i am tired of seeing me represented in booty shorts and stereotypical paraphernalia. oh, and the comparison to kara walker is simply absurd in context and theory.
“maybe it would be a problem if the artist was white american” – i’ve never seen a double standard more clearly defined. the religion (cult) of diversity, multiculturalism, and political correctness should be thrown out with the rest of the trash.
Who paid for this hideous thing? It’s absolutely revolting….
American culture has well and truly gone down the toilet…..better get used to it, this kind of thing is your future, your lords and masters have decided and there’s nothing you can do about it at this late stage.
Demographics = Destiny!
At the end of the day black folk will never ever come together because they can’t even agree on what is disrespectful to the very woman that cry that black men don’t respect them, Yet there are those who would say that “this art is good , why are people protesting, why don’t they go fight and protest this, that or the other” Black folk are stupid and they deserve the disrespect they get, because the white establishment has our own woman demeaning us, and when brothers stand up to defend their honor, they turn their back, so continue to be called a hoe and look like skeezers, maybe u need that reality to wake your azz up!!!
To the writer of this article, when a ignorant male of another race approaches you or your daughter, mother, sister or aunt…and they call u out your name, don’t be surprised, and don’t call a brother to come to your aide either, because based on your commentary here in this article you are as much of a part of the problem as to why blackmen look to other races for relationship becaue apparently you have a problem with your own race!! Wake up sister!
I am an artist and the true depiction of my subject, according to the purpose of the piece; is most important aspect of any project. And to the naysayers: Artists don’t need to be policed that’s why they are called ARTISTS! Do everyone a favor and go do something for the women you say you are trying to protect!
“I’ve got shirts that probably show just as much breast and I’ll be damned if you tell me that implies I’m a slut or a ho, ”
Keisha, I wouldn’t say you’re a “ho”(I know nothing about your lifestyle) but since you have and wear shirts that expose half your breasts you are trampy. The murial that the artist calls art should be taken down. I does put African-American woman and Puerto-Rican woman in such a bad light. It’s a shame that it has become acceptable in this society for woman to walk around scantily dressed and showing their clevage. It’s so distasteful.
Likewise I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind. 1Tim 2:9.
I’m gonna go ahead and cosign with CHRIS JOHNSON.leave it to a black woman to write her own death sentence that comment was for Keyshia whitaker.Somehow black women can’t see that this art is what too many people,especially black men, think about ALL black women.I thought they would have figured it out with the rap videos.After dogging black women for years in those videos.They go to ligh/white women as the love interest the one they will make a wife but yet wer’e supposed to think it’s just a video,it’s just art.NO!this is real life and the white folks who run Times Square just like black male rappers are simply letting you know what they really think,in real life,about black women.
Stop being Stuck On Stupid Keysha and mostly stop protesting in support of your own self degradation.
Chris Johnson said:The reality is, the Times Square Alliance allowed this to happen and they and had a number of pieces to chose from, so lets not act like this chick did not know what she was allowed to paint. She got her check of $10,000 and did what they told her to do. So you ignorant fools keep going on about how she is great and is so talented, when the truth is …..this was an assault by those white so called artistic executives who run the Times Square Alliance, to once again disrespect black folks. Point of information….If it were not for some of those Black woman of yesterday that this mural mocks in parody, that Latina would have never gotten the opportunity to have this monstrosity placed in Times Square in the name of Art!!!!
I only cosign the first comment Chris made.The rest of it i don’t care for
alot of us know what we see in the mural could make us uncomfortable. How many of us know someone who can relate to whats there? What is Sofia Malonado voice? Can we have fun with it and laugh if we want, reminise, or otherwise.make a change. Just know the black woman without a bra looks like she is at a rave. Her body is nice. however disporpotionate just as the latin woman. This mural focuses on many issues we could address to help one another. Dont just look at what seems ugly to us, why is it ugly?
topical copper peptide and topical vitamin C can help reduce stretch marks.-’.
Oh noes, mural is gonna destroy world! Better go hide in the subway before the bombs start dropping!
Well, let’s see. How about an artist create a mural depicting caucasian women with bleach, blond hair dancing on poles; living in trailer parks with unclean kids in diapers. Better yet, for the depiction of culture, show caucasian men in wife beaters with a couple of gun racks on the car. After all, that’s art. Funny how, artist don’t seem to depict that. Funny how it the above description would never become a mural. After all, they barely wanted the Rosanne Show to happen, as it did not portray the life that the majority of caucasian live. If you can’t support, build-up, encourage, educate for the better..RE-think!
very arthistic i think
LELA… you piece of crap. Who do you think you are? The queen? You smug little sh-t!! Blame whitey, you ignorant turd. Yawn, get a life.
What is wrong with the painting? It has an abstract quality. Even the racial characteristics are abstract.
Imagine if the characters in the mural were green aliens from outer space. Would we be in trouble from “Alien” for our insensitivity?
Everybody should chill.
Why not paint a mural of Jewish women as NAZI whores with Hitler and his NAZI’s homies in the background ?. And lets see how it would be accepted in Time Square, Because many of them were
used as sex slaves by the German Reich. Eventhough it’s not really talked about. And also lets remember that the first ghettoized people on record were Jewish. Just ask the Italian historians. Even the word neighborhood litterally means yahud ( Jewish).