Panelists Debate Importance of Racial Categories in Art During Festival

Author Jamaica Kincaid and a group of black artists discussed the value of racial categories in art during a panel at the third annual Black Arts Festival Friday afternoon.

K. Anthony Appiah, professor of Afro-American studies and philosophy, moderated the discussion, asking the five-member panel to define what it means to be a "black artist."

The panelists offered conflicting definitions.

"The black artist is literally an artist, someone who does creative work and is of the black race," said writer and performer Staceyann Chin.

But writer and photographer Carla Williams said she felt differently.

"I think I'm here because I define myself as a black artist," Williams said. "All artists who are part of the black diaspora are black artists--not all do black arts."

She defined black art as art that relates to the black experience and culture.

"I'm interested in people who make art about black people, about themselves," Williams said.

But some had mixed feelings about being labeled "black" artists.

"I am only black because someone tells me I'm black," said Kincaid, a visiting lecturer on Afro-American studies. "When I'm watching my face by the mirror I find it annoying for several reasons, but I don't find it black."

Demetria Royals, an independent filmmaker, said that black art should not be seen as such an isolated genre.

"The black experience is part of the human experience," she said.

Choreographer Donald Byrd agreed that whatever the race of the artist, the quality of the work should always come first.

"My issue is that I want people to get my skills, what I do, instead of something I have no control over, being African American," he said. "It's only important if you say it's important. I don't say that I'm a black artist, I say, 'I'm an artist and I know that I'm black.'"

But Williams said that categorizing art as "black" can help the black artist's target audience gain access to what they want.

"Whoever picks up on that word and is interested will find my art," she said.

Byrd said that such categories can be dangerous.

"In dancing, categories work against you," he said. "It's not about the artistry or the art, it's about the category of black. It becomes a very limiting methodology in terms of what people present."

The artists also debated whether public events like the death of Amadou Diallo in New York affect their work.

The festival's program included a tribute to Diallo, a black immigrant who was shot by four white police officers.

"I don't think you create [art] in a public atmosphere," Williams said. "In my experience, it's very solitary."

But Chin said that it is very difficult to separate her art from the politics of society.

"Everything I do is very aware [that] I'm a black woman living in a white country," Chin said.

Royals admitted that it was difficult for her to see racial injustice in the world but said the key in creating her work is "mining the passion without getting consumed by the rage."

Kincaid, on the other hand, said she does not feel the pull of the outside world when she creates.

"When I sit down to write, my inner life isn't driven by these people," she said. "When I'm writing, my only responsibility is to myself.

The panel attracted a large crowd to the Starr Auditorium at the Institute of Politics.

"We thought it was fabulous, very dynamic," said Amanda L. Hillman '02, business and publicity co-chair of the Black Arts Festival. "We got a lot of really deep perspectives."

The festival also included a series of artistic presentations, workshops, exhibitions and additional discussion that lasted until Saturday evening.

"Everything not only went as planned, it was amazing," Hillman said.