I just finish a set of seven shows in a row. Instead of making a review about the shows I found myself wondering about another issue.
I was doing a festival at Lincoln Nebraska. My rule is not talk about politics. After the first day I was wondering why my neighbor was giving weird looks all day long. I look around and it is weird to be the only color person in the area. Some how he mention to me “ a cowboy will always be a cowboy, a red neck will be red neck, a black will always be a slave and …… He is not pro Obama neither believe that none of parties care about the country. His view are very right wing. His good bye to me was good luck with your hand outs. I told him hand outs what you mean with that.
I explain to people if you was born in Puerto Rico you are an American Citizen. It is weird that people put all hispanic as criminals or untrusted people. It is hard for me to explain to friends that I got a mini van because when I was driving a cargo van I was getting pull over all the time I head south. It does not make any sense to travel the country in fear because of your color of skin. It is bad to explain to people why I do not do shows or hate traveling in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, North and South Carolina and Arizona. This are the same reason why I do not pull over to fill up the tank if I do not see the gas station from the highway. There is reason why my wallet it located at the visor compartment while traveling cross country. Younger color people live in denial.
Are you are aware that all serial criminals are white.
When you listen to the news it makes me wonder why it this long for nation to start noticing all these things.
When see how many show artists are hispanic or color think I only can think of 8 that are friends and can all assume there is no more 50 of us in the circuit. This one more of thing that I think when I am selecting my art shows and traveling in this great Country.
I wonder as I finish the small statement if my sales will be better if I was not hispanic or look black?
Comments
Thomas Felsted, I really do not think that you deserve a answer. It is an experience and something that we need to aware. I really have other more important things to worry at the show than dealing with this crap, actually we all have better things to be doing (making sales). Things like this can take you out of your game because you start worry about your safety. When I am at the show I am working. I do not have the time or patience to teach people about this issue or about immigration.
I did a small show in Spiecewood, Texas the past October. I ask the chairman if I can leave my trailer in the parking area and she told me that should not be a problem. The only issue they ever had was an artist looking at children in "weird way" and not paying attention to the potential buyers walking into his booth.
Another crazy conversation was about another artist bragging about having sex with a under age girl inside his booth after set up (Scottsdale Arizona).
So to answer your question: I wrote this post because it is better than the alternative. The sad thing about it is this why some people feel the need to carry a gun with them all the time.
I dress nice, try to be disarming and offer a hello, but still get treated like a leper. To be honest, I find it amusing in a sad way.
I certainly don't feel sorry for myself. I'm not sure if you wrote this post Oscar to make us feel sorry for you or not. I certainly don't. You are a big boy and should know by now that this world comes in all shapes and sizes. If you wrote this post to stir up racism discussion, well that isn't a very good idea. There are far more interesting examples than one weirdo you met an art festival.
So, I could write a post that if I were a woman, I would sell more of my art, but that sort of narrative in 2014 is picking the low fruit, so to speak.
Good luck!
This thread seems familiar, and I thought I had commented on it, but I guess not.
I am sorry that you had that experience, Oscar. You mention whether you might sell more art if you weren't Hispanic. That's a good question. I am a CPA in my real job (although I mostly work just tax season.) I had my own practice for awhile. I know some clients would not come to me, or treated me differently, because I am female. I now work for a firm that was started by a man. He died in a plane crash a few years ago, leaving all women at the firm. I remember telling my bosses that I was sure we would lose a few clients over that. The thing is, I'm guessing there may also be some clients who come to me because I am a woman, and maybe they feel more comfortable with me. I like to think that I am better at explaining things!
Long story short, you probably do lose a few sales. On the other hand, there may be a few people who come in to your booth just because of who you are. So I like to think that it evens out.
Now I'm going to get political: It seems that since Obama got elected, the racism has gotten much more blatant. It was always there, but it was under the surface. Now it has boiled to the top. I believe this is because the racists feel their way of live is threatened. It's actually very pathetic if you think about it. So next time you encounter someone like that, just remember how stupid, pathetic and threatened they are.
Oscar, it is embarassing to think that this sort of prejudice still exists in our society and as much as we'd like to think that it doesn't, there are still a few jerks out there. You can't take it to heart, just know that he's the one with the problem, not you, and remember you have many friends and admirers here at AFI. Thanks for sharing something so personal...now, forget about it and get on with your amazing creative life.
Beautiful sentiment, Albert, and very positive. I especially admire the last paragraph. Thanks for brightening my day!
Your experience is saddening and no doubt disheartening;try not to take it personal as it is not. A person who tries to portray another in a negative light because of his cultural identity usually views himself in the same negative light without knowing it.
The work I do have found homes and many good and decent people and I have befriended each other in most of the states mentioned in your blog.
Sometimes it is the places we least want to go where our work and words are most needed to build bridges and bring light to allow us all to share our cultural heritage and see our common humanity.
Oscar, my main rule is to not make eye contact whether it is in a high crime neighborhood or an art fair. If you don't make eye contact, they can't talk to you and you won't talk to them.
I do not thinking is limited to south states neither or red or blue state, Barry. I do not have a problem with the cops pulling me over even if they have a good reason. I learned to not argue with the police and the less you talk the better you are. I was just in shock when he started expressing his point of view and tone. The problem consist in these people that create a conflict and refuse to listen or learned from other people because they believe they are superior than the rest of people and even if they are in minority they believe that the majority is in wrong. The only thing they accomplish with this is segregation and fear. The most important thing there no place for this while we are working. Yes working, that what we doing while we are doing art show. While I sorry I ever talk to him it was a wake up call.
I don't think this behavior is limited to the South. In the past 30 days, I have been followed by the Illinois and the Michigan state police 3 times and pulled over once. I drive an old cargo van. The guy who pulled me over claimed I was driving erratically and he came up with 6 reasons why he pulled me over. They have to justify pulling me over. Of course, I was doing nothing wrong and he gave me a warning. The Illinois cop sat in my blind spot for 2-3 miles before he took off. I guess he was running my plate. The other Michigan cop was going in the other direction, turned around when he thought he was out of site, sped up and followed behind me for 2-3 miles while he checked me out. I don't care if you are white, green, blue, purple, or red with pink polka dots, that behavior is totally unacceptable. The last time I checked, we still aren't living in a police state.
Oscar, I'm so sorry you had to experience that but with the climate in this country so reactionary at this time, it doesn't surprise me. I feel so lucky that my father taught me about prejudice when I was about 5 ( and I'm old now). It makes me sad to see what goes on now, the hatred and meanness.
I can understand that you would be afraid to travel in the south. Hopefully with more time things will be better. Funny but I had such hopes that they were.
Be safe Oscar and know that we are not all like that.
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