Radical Empathy by Stephanie Seguino
My work as both artist and economist takes a critical view of social, economic, and political differences. I am drawn to those issues that are hard for us to talk about—and sometimes hard for us to see. They have to do with stratification, hierarchies, and inequality.
My most recent work has been an effort to employ visual images to encourage the viewer’s introspection, and with this, to interrupt deeply embedded stereotypes that circumscribe the lives of those on the receiving end. The project that I am now working on addresses the painful reality of stereotyping black men, and in particular, young black males. This project comes out of my experience as the Italian mother of a son who identifies as African American. As he and other young black men grow up, a stark abyss emerges between the humanity that their families see in them and the negative stereotypes broader society burdens them with, making their lives more precarious and subject to danger. These photographs are part of a larger book project that is in progress.
EXHIBIT: February 16 - March 11, 2016
