Below is a documentary about three contemporary artists. Each artist discusses their controversial works that all deal with advertising in some way. For our purposes, we are only focusing on the first featured artist, Michael Ray Charles. He is an African American artist who focuses on the imagery and portrayals on black men and women throughout history and how this effects the psyches of and relationships and relationships betweeen whites and blacks in our world today.As you watch the clip, please take notes of anything that startles you or strikes you as potentially controversial. Then I just want you to write a reflection on Mr. Charles' work. How does it make you feel? What does if force you to think about? Did it potentially make you think about something that you previously never considered? Whatever it is, just think and write as much as you can (at least 250 words) about your reactions and feelings towards the works of Michael Ray Charles.
Watch the full episode. See more ART:21.
