Recently we have seen a new type of racism from an unexpected source. Never have I expected racisem from artists or a left-wing/green political direction.
However resently I felt diturbed by public statements or discussions I did not expect. So here is what disturbed me:
The cover of the US VOGUE Magazin 07/2020 showed a Annie Leibovitz photo of US gymnasics star Simone Biles. This foto and a foto story inside the magazin was critisized, mainly on Twitter. The – in my opininion – most unrefined and insulting statment was published by the NY Times editor Morrigan Mc Carthy.
So whats the point demandig from VOGUE to hire a “black photographer”?
I hold the view that sex (male, female or diverse), skin colour, religion or political opinion of an artist is irrelvant for the “quality” of piece of art (book, painting, sculpure, photography,…) produced by him or her. The only relevant question is what we feel when we look at Annie Leibovitz outstanding photography of Simone Biles and the artwork in this VOGUE Mazine. I personally adore the artwork of Annie Leibovitz.
Another disturbing discusssion was initiated in several European countries wen Amanda Gormans outstandig poem The Hill We Climb had to be transalted into Dutch and German language. In both countries there was a big discussion about who could best translate The Hill we Climb. In Germany the publisher had to hire three “translators” to silence the political correctness ideologists:
Kübra Gümüşay, a feminist activist in Germany, Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a jounalist who studied politcal science and Uda Strätling, who is a professional translator and enjoys a good reputation as a translator of poems and dramas from English into German. So what were Ms. Gümüsays and Ms. Hara-Oelker contributions to the translation of The Hill We Climb? Kübra Gümüşay is also muslim (minority in Germany!) and Hadija Haruna-Oelker is a so called “PoC”.
The result of the translation of The Hill We Climb is Den Hügel hinauf, missing the we! So oviously, the political correctness ideologists in the translator team didn`´’t get The Hill We Climb wired.