This post is a response to recent controversies involving the racist professor, Derrick Bell, and numerous discussions I have had with artist-friends of mine regarding the topic of race. There is a horrible and utterly ignorant view in the minds of many that all white people are automatically racist. Some even hold that all members of all races are automatically racist--that we are all tainted with the "original sin" of racism from birth. These are views that only racists can hold and there is no excusing such views under any circumstances. Lack of education does not make such views "okay" and neither do PhD's. These days, anti-white views are unfortunately all-too-common in the arts industry. Such views reveal an ominously "concrete-bound" mentality in a group that prides itself on independent, rational thinking. I would like to draw attention to this disconnect.
Racism is a concept, and as such it's meaning is communicable and it's application can be appropriate in many contexts independent of historical, cultural and economic factors. The concept "racist" is appropriately applied to anyone of any race independent of any other factors about his own race.
To contrast the false views above I am posting 25 details of paintings
all made by white artists that show an incredible appreciation for--and even love for--skin
tone variety. Many of these paintings are well over 100 years old. The oldest is about 400 years old.
It is more than okay to appreciate these skin tones. It
is more than okay to think, "I love the look of this very dark skin" or
"I love the look of this very pale skin" and everything in between. It is no more necessary to criticize pale skin as "pasty" or "blindingly white" than it is to criticize some other skin-tone for being it's shade.
I
can only hope that this post will help combat those hurtful, irrational
and indefensible ideas.
I hope you enjoy these beautiful skin-tones as much as I do!
All the best,
- Justin
