FORCED ALTEREGO
February 11, 2007 - March 3, 2007Curatorial Advisor: Julius Lyles
Cleveland State University Art Gallery
2307 Chester Avenue
Cleveland,Ohio 44114
p: 216.687.2103 or 216.687.9394
www.csuohio.edu | art | gallery
Media Contact: Robert Thurmer, Gallery Curator
216.687.2103
r.thurmer@csuohio.edu
https://class.csuohio.edu/art-gallery/art-gallery
Julius Lyles Presents:
INTERNAL BAGGAGE PROJECT: Part Two, Forced Alter Ego
The second part deals with the assimilation process that occurs in America.
To often in the business world if you’re not white or act like a white employee you will not last long in your position and either become demoted or lose your job all together. Last hired, first fired! Historically it has been extremely difficult for African Americans to advance from an entry-level position and only a select few make it into management or even to a vice presidents position with minimal responsibility and little decision-making.
In today’s corporate environment this statistic has progressively changed laterally, but the percentages are still drastically disproportionate. There are 0.5% black executives and over 75% white executives in current President or CEO positions in the U.S. Their still exists a stigma that an African American is only good for a service job and could never be responsible enough to run a company. This is a common stereotype within America. This is only one example of how the American landscape exists.
Forced Alter-Ego captures the negative implications through the use of thirty black men, a simple point and click approach with a digital SLR camera, and natural spatial environments, the visual aesthetics is accomplished.
Presenting the study of the beauty of individualism from assimilation and the properties of the assimilation system that appeal to the viewers’ senses, as opposed to the individuals struggle from himself.
They stare into the lens, faces like masks, just for that moment, documenting a trace, a footprint in time, which seems entirely objective, powerfully representing the domineer and nobility of the black male.
Each finished image is 13”x 19” matted on archival silver print and framed with a written testimony expressing their thoughts and experience of assimilation.
The subjects are posed so spontaneously, in such a way, that the look includes a history of the subject. Each visual interpretation and response provides compelling questions about the construction of, and social investments in the classification of assimilated identity.
The Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am – 6 pm, and from 9am – 5pm on Saturdays. Gallery Openings are until seven or later. Free to all children, adults, students and seniors.
Phone: 216.687.2103 or 216.371.1861
Web site: www.internalbaggageproject.org
www.csuohio.edu/art/gallery
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