Got some time to kill after class? Procrastinating studying for finals in the next few weeks? Grab a cup of coffee at The Coop and head next door to see some White Boys. White Boys is an exhibition currently on display in the Cantor Fitzgerald Art Gallery from now until May 3rd. Curated by Hank Willis Thomas and Natasha L. Logan, the collection of pieces by 17 artists explores the idea of the white male, how it aestheticized, and what it means to be juxtaposed with other concepts of race and gender.
The pieces vary in form from video to manipulated photographs to installations to a giant chalkboard and present a wide range of ideas, often conflicting and challenging one another, surrounding the white male identity. The collection of pieces articulates a variety of perspectives from female, male, ‘white’ and ‘non-white’ artists making the exhibition an intriguing exploration of your own concept of the white male and examining the pieces to discover what viewpoints match your own. I found myself drawn to photographs by Gregory Halpern, that depict young white boys in a suburban setting, and the photo installation The Ritual of Nothingness by Chris Berntsen, which presents both projected and collaged images of the young and reckless. Blakely Thomas Dadson’s pieces of white toddlers photo shopped in front of graffiti and Bounty Killer literally made me laugh out loud. But White Boys can be navigated and interpreted differently by any viewer, making it an absorbing and worthwhile experience for anyone, white boy or not.
Interested in learning more about the exhibit? Check out the Artists and Curator Panel on April 17th at 4:30 in Stokes 102 and hear about the exhibition from the people who made it happen.