Michelle Obama Slave Image: Racist Art?

By Helena Andrews, The Root

Slavery is bad. Hadn’t you heard? The vast majority of African Americans with Southern ancestry are the descendants of slaves. Didn’t you know? And Michelle Obama, the first lady of these United States, is no exception. Were you not familiar with that narrative? If not, the Spanish publication Magazine de Fuera de Serie would like to remind you with a cover of Michelle Obama as a half-naked French slave.

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I immediately emailed a friend — an art-history buff — to find out if this monstrosity had any roots in the great masters’ canon because I’m a nerd, and when my black body is being so unabashedly exploited in such a way, I’m positive there’s a white male behind it. Is that racist? Probably so.

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Actually, the cover “art” is a very literal interpretation of French artist Marie-Guillemine Benoist’s Portrait d’une négresse, currently on display at the Louvre. At the time of its debut in 1800, six years after slavery was abolished in France, the painting was both revolutionary and typical. It’s often lauded as dealing directly with the intersection of taboo subjects (especially when tackled by a female painter) of race, gender and politics. It’s a radical commentary on both freedom and exploitation.

Then again, the “negress” has no name, no identity beyond her skin color. But that was more than two centuries ago. Painting the first lady as a former French slave swathed just barely in the American flag is not what’s popping in 2012. According to the New York Daily News, the artist behind the magazine cover and other “famous nudes,” Karine Percheron-Daniels, is under the impression that Mrs. Obama will appreciate the hack Photoshop job.

What do you think? Read more here.

Racist imagery and symbols show up surprisingly often.

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