The owner of a Bedford-Stuyvesant art school is taking heat online after decorating her home with drawings of children cut out of brown paper being hanged by their feet and necks.
The proprietor of ArtShack Brooklyn has since apologized to her neighbors, who expressed outrage over what they call racially insensitive imagery.
“Across the street from P.S. 11 … a family of a particular color decided that it was OK to decorate their windows with what appears to be little black children being lynched,” wrote one concerned citizen on Facebook, in a post which has now over 1,500 shares and over 250 angry and exasperated comments. “I wonder what would make someone think this is OK especially in today’s racial climate.”
Amsterdam News reported that the “homemade Halloween paper dolls” were stripped from the home as of today, but Bed-Stuy residents continue to rage over the obtuseness of the white founders of a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “[strengthen] kids’ critical-thinking abilities,” according to their website.
Dany Rose, who owns the recreation center with McKendree Key, posted a statement yesterday on their social media channels saying she had made “a tremendous mistake.”
“I now realize the harm and hurt caused by the unacceptable imagery I used in my Halloween decorations at my home and understand how it connects to the centuries of historical trauma in this country,” read the apology. “Please trust that I will take the time to educate myself and my family and will do everything in my power to make amends. I hope this incident does not take away from all the hardworking, respected members of the Artshack community, and the work that we do for our community. I am deeply sorry. Please reach to me directly out if you’d like to talk further.”
When reached by The Post, an ArtShack representative declined to comment any further on the reasons for the original art work.
However, later, they added this extended statement to their social channels and website, in an attempt to clarify their intentions.
“The images were based on the horror movie ‘Annabelle,’ but because they were made of brown kraft paper and hanging from nooses, they were deeply racially offensive,” Rose wrote. “No one should have had to point out this obvious fact to me, and I immediately removed the figures when I was contacted by a parent from P.S.11, across the street from my home.”
She went on to say she hopes to “make amends that will be both meaningful and acceptable to the community,” many of whom do not seem open to apologies.
“This is REALLY REALLY disappointing,” wrote one Facebook follower. “We have an infant daughter and were looking forward to her getting old enough to take classes at Art Shack. No longer. How could you NOT immediately see that these figures were wrong especially considering our current political environment?”
Another added, “I saw ‘Annabelle’ and nothing about that looks like the movie.”