Posted on 04/01/2018 10:56:18 AM PDT by Simon Green
The Brooklyn Museum has sparked outrage in the black community after tapping a white woman to curate its vast African art collection.
On Monday the museum appointed Kristen Windmuller-Luna, 31, who has a Ph.D. in African art history from Princeton University, lectures in Columbia University’s department of art history and archaeology, and once worked as an educator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she was “responsible for adult and college gallery tours in the African galleries.”
Despite the stellar résumé, her hiring left some wondering why a qualified person of color did not get the post.
“Seriously, @brooklynmuseum? There goes the neighborhood for good,” opined Philadelphia journalist Ernest Owens on Twitter.
“People from the African Diaspora are frustrated w/white people being gatekeepers of our narrative,” tweeted Kimberly Seldon.
The museum defended its decision.
“Kristen is the perfect choice to build upon the Brooklyn Museum’s track record as an innovator in the collection and exhibition of the arts of Africa,” said Jennifer Chi, the museum’s chief curator, in a statement.
The museum said it was “committed to equity” but would not discuss the hiring process with The Post.
Following days of criticism on social media, the museum tweeted Thursday: “We have been listening closely to the debate about our recent appointments to our curatorial team. We’re listening and we hear you. As we think about ways to engage in this conversation with the care it deserves, we want to assure you that you can count on us, as ever, to continue working deeply on equity within our institution and beyond.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
However, people of color may no longer exhibit anything Caucasian.
Fair is fair.
Dr. King wanted us judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin.
To paraphrase and apply to this situation, if a white woman is the best qualified applicant for the job, she should get the job regardless of skin color. Judge her by qualification for the position, not by skin color.
Qualified? There lies the problem.
With an assist from Elizabeth Warren, of course.
I'm old enough to remember when ALL the racists lived ONLY in Alabama.
Now....they're everywhere.
hire by mob pressure
So only black people are qualified or capable to curate african art?
Maybe some of them should have applied for the job then.
She has a PhD in African Art History?
Didn’t know there was such a degree. But, clearly with such a degree, and her previous experience, she seems well qualified to be a curator of African art.
Let’s have this debate. Was there a black applicant with superior qualifications????
Brooklyn based, double-barrel surnamed, art history major who has a Ph.D. in from Princeton University, and lectures at Columbia, and worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
If you were creating a cartoon caricature of the western, urban metrosexual leftist, this would be it.
Let me help you out.
In matters like this, ONLY her skin color matters.
This is the Essential Poison of Political Correctness.
Once, we thought it was merely stupid; but, in fact, Political Correctness is as deeply and profoundly viciously racist a mind-set as has ever existed.
In hiring for jobs, and casting for movies it has become such that ONLY a counter-stereotype selection WILL BE TOLERATED by the totalitarian left.
If you want to see where this goes ultimately, look to South Africa.
Poor thing. It must come as quite a shock to her to be attacked like this after devoting her life to the study of African art.
I wonder how many Blacks with PhD’s in African-American studies are in our public schools system.
Maybe he should have been the curator.
First, are there really any black Americans (that’s what they are, invariably) who know squat about African stuff besides “it looks African”?
Second, it’s not “art”. Art is for art’s sake. Most of that stuff wasn’t made for the fun of it. It was made with a purpose, like fertility, other things to do with invoking good fortune, etc.
So, I’m not big on calling this old tribal stuff “art”.
I’m incensed that “Hamilton” would feature a non Caucasian....
... and they can hire a so-called “African-American” [who has never been to Africa nor has a Phd in African art to curate.]
African art peaked 50,000 years ago
She’s fairly on the level.
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/21/fashion/weddings/kristen-windmuller-joseph-luna-weddings.html
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/arthistory/faculty/Windmuller-Luna.html
Very qualified for this job and not a hipster type.
When blacks are declared unfit to be curators of museums displaying European art I might be willing to support this.Not not a moment before.
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