Behind the Scenes with San Diego Public Library Art Gallery | MR Barnadas of Collective Magpie

TL;DR

Mr. Barnadas discusses their work in the Fear No Art exhibition, specifically their project "Who Designs Your Race?" which explores the problematic notions of racial identity and categorization.

Transcript

hello i am dr laura bullock curator of fear no art civic engagement histories currencies and i am here today speaking with one of the artists featured in the exhibition mr barnadas of collective magpie before we begin i'd like to recognize the kumiyai nation on whose territory we currently reside on and benefit from we acknowledge the kumiyai as th... Read More

Key Insights

• 💍 Collective Magpie engages with institutions through their artwork to critique and expose incongruities and imbalances.
• 👾 The "Who Designs Your Race?" project offers a space for self-reflection and listening to diverse racial experiences.
• 🐎 The project challenges the fixed definition of race and promotes a more nuanced understanding of racial identity.
• ❓ The use of multiple-choice questions in the survey allows for transnational engagement and exploration of the intersection of race and class.
• 🤨 The project raises questions about national identity, racial categorization in both the US and Mexico, and the importance of critically examining these constructs.
• 🥰 The focus on race in art is timely, given recent political and social events that have highlighted issues of racial inequality and injustice.
• 📽️ The project encourages individuals to question and challenge the dominant discourse and create a more inclusive and equitable environment.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the "Who Designs Your Race?" project?

The project was inspired by the problematic racial identity and categorization in institutions like museums and the US census, as well as the absence of black voices in the Dimensions of Black exhibition.

Q: What impact do you hope the project has?

The project aims to create a space for self-reflection and promote a genuine curiosity about race. It does not seek to modify the US census, but rather encourages a more thoughtful exploration of racial experiences.

Q: Why did you choose to use Uncle Sam as a motif in the project?

The disembodied hand of Uncle Sam represents a larger discussion about national identity and the questioning of race declarations. It serves as a symbol of the need to critically examine the concept of race.

Q: What was the intention behind the multiple-choice questions in the survey?

The multiple-choice questions were adapted from the Mexican census and allowed the project to have a transnational perspective. The questions about class were included to explore the intersection of race and class in participants' experiences.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Mr. Barnadas is an interdisciplinary artist dedicated to engaging with the public domain through their work with Collective Magpie.

• The "Who Designs Your Race?" project challenges the idea of racial identity and categorization, particularly in relation to the US census.

• The project includes a poetic exploration of race survey, collecting responses that reveal the complexities of individuals' racial experiences.