Marina Abramović accused of racism over Aboriginal 'dinosaur' remarks
Marina Abramović faces backlash for racist comments about Aboriginal Australians in her memoir 'Walk Through Walls', published by Crown Archetype in October 2016. Writer Rachel Wetzler posted an excerpt on Instagram, sparking outrage under #theracistispresent before deleting the post. In the passage, Abramović describes Aboriginal people as 'similar to dinosaurs', with 'large chests' and 'legs like sticks', attributing their physique to a diet high in sugar and contact with Western civilization. The artist apologized via her publisher, stating the text came from uncorrected proofs of her 1979 diaries and does not reflect her current appreciation for Aboriginal culture. Many Indigenous Australians responded by posting sarcastic 'self-portraits' of dinosaurs. The controversy was first reported by Artnet.
Key facts
- Marina Abramović's memoir 'Walk Through Walls' contains racist descriptions of Aboriginal Australians.
- The book is published by Crown Archetype and was released in October 2016.
- Writer Rachel Wetzler shared an excerpt on Instagram, which she later deleted.
- The hashtag #theracistispresent trended in response.
- Abramović compared Aboriginal people to 'dinosaurs' and described their bodies negatively.
- The apology was issued through her publisher to Artnet, claiming the text was from uncorrected proofs of her 1979 diaries.
- Aboriginal Australians responded with sarcastic 'self-portrait' images of dinosaurs.
- The controversy was first reported by Artnet.
Entities
Artists
- Marina Abramović
- Ulay
- Rachel Wetzler
Institutions
- Crown Archetype
- Artnet
Locations
- Australia
- New York