DATE
2014
MEDIUM
Vector
In no way is the caricature of a Muslim figure meant to be a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad.
All caricatures are meant to be shown in juxtaposition to Chief Wahoo – official mascot of the Cleveland Indians baseball team, and a blatant caricaturization of First Nations people.
The title ‘Get Caught Looking’ is derived from a baseball term used to describe a batter who does not attempt to swing at an oncoming baseball thrown into the strike zone, resulting in a third strike.
Reasons for this lack of action include:
1. The batter does not think that the pitched baseball will result in a strike, but rather a foul ball.
2. The batter is (purposefully) misled into thinking that the pitched baseball would not reach the strike zone.
This type of play is primarily put into effect by a skilled pitcher who is attempting to catch a batter looking on called third strikes.
With this term in mind, I used a baseball pitch as a metaphor for an insult (intentional or unintentional), and being “caught looking” as a metaphor for not bothering to speak out. My intention in broadening this use of racist imagery is to bring attention to the ongoing double standard of acceptable racism within the fabric of mainstream culture.
