Examination
Reflecting on the “Of Color” and “Expanded Conversations” exhibits, I took note of who was doing the work to explore, construct, and deconstruct notions of race and identity in artist’s books. Specifically, I was interested in who was talking about the issue of race is the United States and found that the artists doing this work most often are artists of color.
Inspired by these artists of color doing the work to chip away at interlocking systems of domination, I want my work to interrogate my white identity and recognize my complicity in the maintenance of the hierarchy of race that benefits me socially, politically, and economically. White people need to talk about whiteness and white people need to stop using fragility as an excuse. Being a good person is not good enough. White people need to confront their history.
I hope my work confronts people and makes them think.
-- Eden Rose Niles, Scripps College '19