Benjamin Schulman
weighed down
Artist Statement

My new body of work, derived from contemporary lawn ornamentation, investigates topics such as racism and latent racism. These decorative objects, popular in many rural and suburban areas of the country, are viewed as art forms, and are prized by many, yet there appears to be little consideration or understanding of their actual history or cultural significance. Although most are harmless, there still exists a small percentage which is exploitative in nature. The work is not meant to reinforce societal stereotypes but rather to reveal some of the ways in which these stereotypes are unconsciously propagated.  For example, “Jocko,” a term used to describe a statuette of a small black boy wearing slave clothing, was originally intended to be used as a hitching post.  This well-known figure has lost its historical valence and now serves a merely decorative purpose. However, the statuette dates back to George Washington and the Revolutionary War, and is a clear reminder of our shameful history of slave-owning. “Jocko” statuettes are still being made en masse and are readily available for purchase. This consumption occurs, I would argue, without a critical awareness of the implications it brings to our homes and yards.

This series of sculptures, titled weighed down, comments on contemporary race relations. Each piece addresses specific issues regarding race such as exploitation, betrayal, and assimilation. For instance, the sculpture I was converted, I mean deserted speaks to issues of abandonment. The black figure, holding the noose, is an unaltered terracotta slip-cast of the original figurine. The noose recalls lynching and its employment as a means to instill fear in and control the African-American population. This creates a tension or struggle between the two figures.

I altered the white figure in an attempt to modernize it through the subtraction and modification of apparel. It has also been adorned with a gun and jewelry from contemporary pop culture, thereby addressing a well-known stereotype about African-American culture which we see everyday. The stereotypical and incorrect version of African-Americans is that they embrace a culture of violence and materialism. The media plays on this cliché to instill fear and distrust of blacks by whites. Unfortunately, the end result is the creation and reinforcement of racial tensions, which is quite clearly apparent everywhere you look.