Transcript:

[Joyce J. Scott] Hello, may I speak to Nivedita?

[Nivedita Raj] Yeah, you can—hi!

[Scott] Hi, can I call you Niv?

[Raj] Yes, you can, of course.

[Scott] Hi, Niv. I’m happy to be speaking to someone who’s many years younger than I about my retrospective, because I’m hoping you’re going to give me some enlightening ideas about what you’re seeing in the work.

[Raj] I’m also an artist myself, so this is a great opportunity for me too.

[Scott] I’m glad. So there’s this necklace called “None Are Free Until All Are Free.” And you’ll know it because there’s a figure that’s neck is enchained, and the words are on its arm, and there are faces on it, and it’s all a kind of brown. That one is about slavery or the oppression of anyone. There’s an old saying that, “Everybody’s enslaved because if I have my foot on your neck, you can’t move. But I can’t move.” So tell me, what does that necklace say to you when you look at it?

[Raj] I remember when I first saw this piece I didn’t really have context to the full scope, but I can definitely see this piece kind of applying to a lot of different groups of people who’ve been oppressed in so many different ways, you know, whether it be under colonial rule or slavery even. As like a youth, I feel almost afraid to be able to do something similar simply because of how divisive topics are, how words can be misconstrued. And even in my own digital footprint as an artist, to share things on social media, it’s almost as if I have to tiptoe around my own art. So what is your experience or advice to navigating these challenging social issues?

[Scott] Develop fearlessness. Firstly, if this is your voice, you don’t want to be squelched by others, but something tells me, Niv, as I’m listening to you, that you are adroit and very smart about ways that you can talk about issues, but not necessarily be so glaring always.

[Raj] Um-hum.

[Scott] One of the reasons why people are attracted to my work is because I’m a really fine craftsman. And that’s not hubris, that’s years of working hard to become a fine artist. Sometimes it takes them a while to also see that I’m talking about an issue that’s very hurtful or important. So one of the things that I say to you is just always work on your craft so that your art will always hold sway. It’s going to take a while. You’re 17, Niv.

[Raj] That’s true. [Laughs] I think oftentimes, especially when you’re trying to share stories that maybe I’m not necessarily a part of as well; I feel like it’s a little bit more difficult because I’m not the one directly linked to it, but it’s still something that I see as an issue.

[Scott] Well, I can tell you this about that. Firstly, you’re absolutely right. When you’re saying that it is not directly about you, but you feel as a human, it is exactly about you.

[Raj] Um-hum.

[Scott] You know, the necklace that that I think is called “Election Day.” If you look at it, there are people who don’t even have human colors. But it’s really about how when we join together, we can make a change.