Negro, Nigger,
Nigga
Being an American of African descent, I have been endowed with the ability
to see situations from various points of view. Such is the case with
my artwork. I have always been interested in studying the social
issues of today, but only recently have I discovered how to visually analyze
these issues. Through the use of collage and images as metaphors, I have
learned to spark these dialogues.
At the heart of this recent series, "Negro, Nigger, Nigga," is a myriad
of psychological and societal conflicts. The usage of these words and the
reactions that they elicit can be used to gauge not only the state of racial
harmony but "nineties negritude." In order to sort these things out, one
must explore the past of this country. To understand the past, one must
study America's present. To better understand my role as an individual
as well as a part of the community at large, I must attain a comprehension
of my history as a minority in America. I have heard "negro," I have been
called a "nigger," and I have said "nigga"; with these works I intend
to question why.
-Drek
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