Talk
Open Forum: Jelsen Lee Innocent / I Know You Are But What Am I?
This lecture examines the ways pop culture and 'the art world' reinforce cultural misconceptions and racial stereotypes that shape who is seen, how they are seen, and under what conditions their work is valued.
Anchored in Howardena Pindell’s practice and her confrontations with institutional bias, the talk traces how Black and Brown artists have challenged tokenization, rewritten art-historical narratives, and built alternative modes of visibility. Jelsen invites attendees to reflect on their own positions within these racialized infrastructures and to imagine what might lie beyond them.
Jelsen Lee Innocent is a Haitian-American interdisciplinary artist based in Norway. His research and studio practice examine the lasting impacts of imperialism across social hierarchies, built environments, and consumer culture. Integrating historical records, contemporary media, and material experimentation, his work surfaces narratives that challenge hegemonic structures and open space for alternative imaginaries.
