--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If black artists can win major…" description: "\"If black artists can win major commissions and international acclaim, why do we assume that to be black is always to be marginal, or in need of special..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59e/munira-mirza-6468_art_if-black-artists-can-win-major-commissio_1714156.jpg" --- # If black artists can win major commissions and… ![“If black artists can win major commissions and international acclaim, why do we assume that to be black is always to be marginal, or in need of special support? We have to recognize how diversity initiatives can make black artists feel ghettoized and, as some cultural commentators have argued…” quote by Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59e/munira-mirza-6468_art_if-black-artists-can-win-major-commissio_1714156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59e/munira-mirza-6468_art_if-black-artists-can-win-major-commissio_1714156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59e/munira-mirza-6468_art_if-black-artists-can-win-major-commissio_1714156.jpg) > “If black artists can win major commissions and international acclaim, why do we assume that to be black is always to be marginal, or in need of special support? We have to recognize how diversity initiatives can make black artists feel ghettoized and, as some cultural commentators have argued, bear 'the burden of representation.'” [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Black artists often face tokenism; diversity can unintentionally marginalize them. **In simple terms:** Diversity can backfire on black creators. Key Takeaway Support without imposing stereotypes. Themes art diversity representation Mood critical concerned Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - gallery curations - grant programs - media coverage Key Concepts systemic bias burden of representation Questions to Reflect On - How to empower without labeling? - What policies truly level the field? A Different Perspective Well‑meaning initiatives may reinforce exclusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win/) ## Related quotes > [Black artists are encouraged to explore their identity but are then pigeonholed according to their ethnicity. 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When I use objects, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-dine/i-m-not-a-pop-artist-for-me-pop-never-was-pop-is-concerned-with/) [Jim Dine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-dine/) > [I think there is an element of nihilism about, but I don't think most artists feel their work is meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-baskin/i-think-there-is-an-element-of-nihilism-about-but-i-don-t-think-most/) [Leonard Baskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-baskin/) > [Often, especially young artists, you feel like you should be doing something. 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I like to think a lot of other black queer artists feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-m-touching-people-helping-people-and-i-m-making-music-i-love-i-like/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [From the moment I got to Hollywood, I've always felt like I never really got to do what I wanted to do. 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But if you work at your art you don't have time to be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/people-who-aren-t-artists-often-feel-that-artists-are-inspired-but-if/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“I've said this before: a lot of people think they're artists because they feel things deeply. You know, we're in a culture now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-ve-said-this-before-a-lot-of-people-think-they-re-artists-because/) [Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) ## More by Munira Mirza > [The growth of race relations management, diversity training and 'promoting good relations' has come at a cost. We are more sensitized to racism, yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/the-growth-of-race-relations-management-diversity-training-and/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Studying art history is actually one of the few ways of getting a good job in the arts sector. It's hard to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/studying-art-history-is-actually-one-of-the-few-ways-of-getting-a/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [By appeasing the anti-racism lobby and affirming its culture of grievance, public institutions and business leaders are not making Britain a fairer place. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/by-appeasing-the-anti-racism-lobby-and-affirming-its-culture-of/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [It's important that we challenge the culture of low expectations. You need to believe every child can do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/it-s-important-that-we-challenge-the-culture-of-low-expectations-you/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [If white people are constantly told how culturally different their Asian neighbors are, and if Asians are told to be vigilant against white racism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/if-white-people-are-constantly-told-how-culturally-different-their/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [But I do love working for Boris because he never stops. He's always fizzing with good ideas, and when you are looking after culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/but-i-do-love-working-for-boris-because-he-never-stops-he-s-always/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Islamist groups have gained influence at local and national level by playing the politics of identity and demanding for Muslims the 'right to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/islamist-groups-have-gained-influence-at-local-and-national-level-by/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [At the same time women are putting on the headscarf, they are also going to work, to education, increasingly vocal in the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/at-the-same-time-women-are-putting-on-the-headscarf-they-are-also/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [The idea that Veronica Wadley has no artistic credibility is just crazy. She has a strong reputation and when she was editor of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/the-idea-that-veronica-wadley-has-no-artistic-credibility-is-just/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [I've argued for a much less instrumentalist politicized approach, freeing up the arts and enabling them to deliver high-quality projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/i-ve-argued-for-a-much-less-instrumentalist-politicized-approach/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Often, when art from the canon is brought in to fine art classes, it is used as a prop to inspire art-making projects but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/often-when-art-from-the-canon-is-brought-in-to-fine-art-classes-it-is/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [For many there is a degree of constancy in our culture; London won't let you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/for-many-there-is-a-degree-of-constancy-in-our-culture-london-won-t/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [London's top colleges attract the best young talent from around the world; they're truly a national asset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/london-s-top-colleges-attract-the-best-young-talent-from-around-the/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [There's been a kind of inverse snobbery about culture. I get the feeling some people would look at Shakespeare and say, that's a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/there-s-been-a-kind-of-inverse-snobbery-about-culture-i-get-the/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Some Muslim lobby groups have argued that Christian groups already have public funding for their schools and services so they should too. In response,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/some-muslim-lobby-groups-have-argued-that-christian-groups-already/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) [Explore all 99 Munira Mirza quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If black artists can win major commissions and international acclaim, why do we assume that to be black is always to be marginal, or in need of special support? 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