Nari Ward on Race, Institutions, and the American Dream

Jamaican-born artist Nari Ward (St. Andrew, 1963) discusses systemic racism, cultural institutions, and the American dream in an interview with Artribune. His work, rooted in Dada and readymade traditions, addresses class divisions under capitalism. Ward's piece 'Peace Keeper' (1995, recreated 2020) is featured in 'Grief and Grievance: Art and Mourning in America' at the New Museum in New York (through June 6, 2021). Ward critiques the recent attention to racial issues, noting that after the civil rights movement, society returned to a 'normalcy' that is not justice. He credits the COVID-19 pandemic with dismantling the fiction of the American dream, making people question what truly matters. He argues that cultural institutions should foster conversations among neighbors but often reflect segregated realities. Regarding his iconic work 'We the People' (using shoelaces to spell the Constitution's opening words), Ward explains he aimed to make viewers re-examine familiar phrases; he discovered that an Arabic translation lacks the same sense of belonging. On the risk of tokenism, Ward says it may be inevitable before a broader range of artists can be evaluated. He criticizes museums for being overly cautious, citing the cancellation of a Philip Guston show, and urges institutions to prioritize education over curation.