Arts for Change - Beverly Naidus

[A Klug Tzu Columbus (A Curse on Columbus) was a Yiddish expression used by Jewish immigrants in the early part of this century who felt they were not doing as well as they expected in their new country. An example of its usage would be: "a curse on Columbus for finding this godforsaken land where I have had to struggle and suffer." This installation focused on ...] the fear of ethnic and racial difference, and examined those issues through stories about immigration, assimilation, and experiences with prejudice. The center structure was a sacred story-telling space where people could share personal experiences with racism and anti-Semitism. The hut was made of lattices of twigs and branches and jute twine. The floor was covered with eucalyptus and mint leaves and two clipboards solicited stories from the audience. The hut was surrounded by 12 benches, each 8' long, in a 30'x 20' space. Text was burnt and carved into the upper surface of each bench, such as: "WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT?" and "YOU DON'T BELONG HERE." Fourteen pen and ink drawings were on the walls of the space, part of larger series being developed for a bookwork entitled: YOU DON'T LOOK AMERICAN. Text on the wall said: 1492 - The Invasion of the Americas and The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain, TWO ANNIVERSIES, TWO DIASPORAS, TWO GENOCIDES, TWO FORCED ASSIMILATIONS, Who is the pariah?, How is he/she chosen?, Why does our current system need pariahs?, What happens when a people become dislocated?, What happens when a people lose their land?, What happens when you're told you never had land to begin with?, What happens when a people lose their cultural identity?, What happens when you're told that you're belief systems are bad?, What happens when a people's expectations are destroyed?, What happens when a people's focus becomes material comfort?, What happens when the victim becomes the victimizer? A workshop on racism was done as part of the installation and the exhibition was coordinated with a spiritual gathering of tribal elders re-consecrating the land at Angel's Gate. Exhibited as part of a counter-quincentennial exhibition in a converted military barracks space at Angel's Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, CA (1992).
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Archives - A Klug Tzu Columbus