There's a beautiful soft flower sculpture
outside of San Francisco City Hall. I surmised it is part of an exhibit at the
Asian Art Museum. (The exhibit runs from May 18 - September 2.) A woman asked
about the sculpture, and I told her my discovery. As we walked toward BART, she
said (1),
I've noticed there's a lot of celebration of Asians' contributions here,
but not a lot of recognition of African-Americans'.
Oh. I hadn't noticed that.
I understand having a month to celebrate, but through September? That's
just too long.
Well, it looks like a museum exhibit. I think that's normal time frame for
exhibits.
I don't think we get enough recognition.
There's an African American museum.
And where is the African American museum?
Well, there's the African Diaspora Museum on 2nd…
(I didn't know exactly where the
Africa-American museum was, but I'd been to the Diaspora one.)
It's just too much.
What about Picasso? Um, the D'Orsay? When they came to Legion of Honor it
ran from October? through January? (2)
That's different. That's a person.
No, the D'Orsay was a collection. But I see your point, I finished,
as we parted ways.
Seriously? You complain about
Asians being recognized while walking in front of the Asian Art Museum? In San
Francisco? Where Angel Island was the Ellis Island of the West, ushering many
Chinese into California?
I'm not saying African Americans
didn't play a prominent role in the city (the Fillmore district comes to mind),
or that more recognition isn't warranted. But there's been a significant Asian
presence in San Francisco since Gold Rush days. It should not be minimized.
This is why some folks don't
think I'm black enough.
(1)
Not verbatim, of course. My memory's not that
good. <snort> My memory's not good at all.
(2)
Yea, I know I have the details wrong. But you get the gist, yea?