Last year, I awoke to find my name featured in an Artnet newsletter, accusing me of running the Instagram account @cancelartgalleries. My modest gallery, Housing, was defamed as the anonymous entity exposing racism in the art community. This unfounded accusation turned me into an outcast within the art world and the fight against anti-racism, which is inherently irrational. The newsletter was penned by Nate Freeman, a White journalist I had met briefly, who seemingly did not verify whether the rumor, initiated by a known White female artist, held any truth. It was assumed that the Black female gallerist, unaffiliated with a powerful White male, vocal and fearless, would be the one to highlight the art world’s injustices.
While I have consistently spoken out against the endemic anti-Blackness in the U.S. art scene, this does not justify scapegoating me for the prevailing white supremacy or questioning my right to voice my concerns openly. This open letter aims not to seek sympathy, nor do I expect understanding. Instead, it declares that the murder of George Floyd has not led to change. Black individuals in influential roles do not rectify the historical erasure and violence against Black people, particularly women. Their presence often amounts to mere tokenism, with little impact on the barriers Black individuals face in an industry reliant on exploiting Black talent to promote white exceptionalism.
On February 17th and August 5th, 2021, my name resurfaced on the social media of Kenny Schachter, a prominent White art figure, perpetuating a baseless rumor. This was crafted to silence my voice and further marginalize me, as I refuse to conform to the art world’s hegemonic norms. I saw board members and collectors commend Schachter for his attacks, driven by their disdain for ‘cancel culture’ or, more accurately, to soothe their white fragility. Racism and anti-Blackness are formidable oppressors, and I am not beyond their reach, even if I am not the ‘ideal’ victim. I stand firm in my convictions, unlike those who propagate a neoliberal agenda of inclusion.
During the peak of the #MeToo movement, a video of Courtney Love warning against meeting Harvey Weinstein circulated—a decade-old clip ignored until Ronan Farrow’s exposé. This timeline reveals society’s reluctance to heed warnings from imperfect messengers. We prefer victims who affirm our biases, those who do not challenge our anti-Blackness. No anti-racist art world can exist within a racist society. I urge Artnet to publicly retract the anti-Black rumor they propagated. Both Nate Freeman and Kenny Schachter must be held accountable. Their exploitation of anti-Blackness to silence voices must not be celebrated. Continuing to do so only perpetuates the art world’s complicity in racism, impacting Black lives and those who dare challenge its reward of White mediocrity and violence.
