Controversy erupts over Dasha Zhukova's photo on Bjarne Melgaard sculpture dubbed 'racist chair'

A photograph of collector Dasha Zhukova sitting on a sculpture by Bjarne Melgaard sparked widespread outrage in January 2014, with many labeling the image racist. The artwork depicted a partly naked black woman in a contorted position with a seat cushion belted to her thighs, leading to its nickname 'the racist chair'. Zhukova, a wealthy white collector, issued a statement defending herself against accusations of racism, claiming the work had been taken out of context. Melgaard, in a joint statement with his dealer Gavin Brown, argued the sculpture aimed to destabilize notions of race, sex, and power, citing his identity as a homosexual to counter racism claims. The controversy contrasted with the acclaim for Steve McQueen's film '12 Years a Slave', released in December 2013, which depicted brutal scenes of slavery. Critics like Jonathan Jones of The Guardian saw Melgaard's work as questioning power, while Hyperallergic found little insight in his use of a woman of color's body. The debate centered on whether artistic intention or identity politics should determine an artwork's reception, highlighting tensions in contemporary art's role as social critique. Armond White, a black film critic, criticized McQueen's film for presenting human depravity as inherent, adding another layer to discussions of representation and offense.