feature: mykki blanco calls out racism in the art world

It’s been reported that last week at a Miami Art Basel event hosted by Klaus Biesenbach, Director of MOMA PS-1, rapper Mykki Blanco called out the host as “a Swiss-German faggot” – staging an act of protest which involved hurling Subway sandwiches at Biesenbach and branding him a racist. The scene follows a heated argument between the two in October at the MOMA’s Hood By Air event where Blanco performed (pictured). In a protest which seems most appropriate considering the current social climate in the United States, Blanco exclaimed from the top of The Editions hotel bar, “He doesn’t like black people. He likes black culture”; and although his choice of protest may be divisive (i.e. the amount of heckling that followed), the punk musician’s sentiments have been met with much agreement. Racism continues to be a prevalent issue in the art industry and Biesenbach’s decisions to champion mainly white or Asian artists is a strong reflection of this. Since the year 2000, with 25 solo exhibitions under his belt, he has only organized an exhibition for one black artist – Mickalene Thomas. 

By Alexander Aplerku, AFROPUNK Contributor

(via Playboy)