Ass 4 Sale (2015)

Overview

Ass4Sale revolves around the phenomenon of twerking, a dance form that has gained increasing popularity in western culture since Miley Cyrus’ uncritical appropriation in 2013. Rezaire investigates the mechanisms of cultural appropriation that have stripped twerking of its African origins and culture. As a former ritual of fertility, twerking is strongly tied to the black female body. Assimilated and disseminated as a mainstream phenomena and commodity fetish, it has been decontextualised from issues of race, gender, privilege and ownership. Racist double standards are exposed as the practice of twerking, considered “ghetto” and over-sexualised in the context of black culture, becomes fashionable and trendy once adopted and assimilated – upholding and reinforcing myths about black female sexuality.

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