Holy Racist Athletic Gear, Batman!

April 10, 2006 12:59 PM

Adidas earns the love of the masses once again, this time with racist shoes! The most offensive part of the design is taken from original work by Barry McGee. Yeah, maybe it's taken out of context (of, say, other work dealing with racism), or is it some kind of inevitable comic artist attraction to stereotypical imagery of the past? At any rate, those wily Asians at Giant Robot seem to like it, and his fans don't seem that offended.

Whether you love or hate that particularly inscrutable mascot, McGee is actually an experienced, prolific, and talented guy. (He was also married to artist Margaret Kilgallen until her death in 2001, and is now the single father of their daughter Asha.) McGee once said, "Sometimes a rock soaring through a plate of glass can be the most beautiful, compelling work of art I have ever seen". Oh, and p.s.--he's half-Chinese, you cry-babies ;-) More on the controversy: 1, 2, 3.
posted by ibeji (48 comments total)

What I really find offensive is that the shoe in question costs $250.
posted by wakko at 1:03 PM on April 10, 2006

Looking at the shoes, I would be tempted to wear them just as a means to take the image and proudly display it as my own. Isn't there an argument that supposedly 'racist' symbols are often taken back by 'targeted' group as sign of empowerment?

I'm Chinese, I look at those shoes and I didn't find them offensive. However, I also didn't find them particularly attractive. But after reading the back story and the 'outcry', I want them now. Bad.
posted by phyrewerx at 1:07 PM on April 10, 2006

...Which means adidas did a good marketing job.
posted by phyrewerx at 1:07 PM on April 10, 2006

I think you nailed it, phyrewerx. Too bad they're sold out most places...
posted by ibeji at 1:15 PM on April 10, 2006

This reminds me a bit of the Umbro Zyklon [B] kicks that were supposed to be relased a few years ago...
posted by naxosaxur at 1:15 PM on April 10, 2006

me likee.
posted by tkchrist at 1:18 PM on April 10, 2006

I thought Lonsdale was the racist's outfitter of choice.
posted by athenian at 1:21 PM on April 10, 2006

They're marketing racism now?
posted by Acey at 1:21 PM on April 10, 2006

Somehow, this reminds me of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' recording of "Feast of the Mau Mau," during which he spontaneously starts jabbering in a grotesque faux African language. It's hard to take seriously as racism when it's a black guy (or, in this instance, an artist of Asian descent) starts engaging in over-the-top racism against his own race.

But, then, what does it say that I, a non-Asian, non-black, enjoy it so much?
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:22 PM on April 10, 2006

tkchrist: don't you mean "me rikey?"
posted by keswick at 1:24 PM on April 10, 2006

is that the prophet Mohammed on those shoes? DIE CARTOONIST INFIDELS!
posted by mcstayinskool at 1:25 PM on April 10, 2006

I don't get it. Is it supposed to be a self-portrait? The image dosn't look particularly intresting to me from an artistic standpoint.
posted by delmoi at 1:32 PM on April 10, 2006

tkchrist: don't you mean "me rikey?"
Doh! See I can't even be a pretend bigot right.

PS. I always thought the icon in question was some sort of rodent critter image.

PS.PS. Barry McGee is awesome. I got some silk screen print by him as a gift a couple years back and I love it. But now that I know he's racist...AND Chinese. Damn! What does one do?
posted by tkchrist at 1:33 PM on April 10, 2006

I just think when a corporate entity tries to market these types of images, it will always fall flat. Anyone remember the Wong Brothers t-shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch?

"We personally thought Asians would love this T-shirt," said Hampton Carney, with Paul Wilmot Communications in New York, the public relations firm where Abercrombie referred a reporter's call.
posted by NationalKato at 1:42 PM on April 10, 2006

Using emoticons in an FPP makes Baby Jesus :'(.
posted by Zozo at 1:43 PM on April 10, 2006

What I really find offensive is that the shoe in question costs $250.

No kidding, and that the Chinese prison labor used to make it cost $0.10.
posted by j-urb at 1:58 PM on April 10, 2006

Cartoons are the new terrorism.
posted by Blue Stone at 2:07 PM on April 10, 2006

$250 shoes are the new terrorism.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:16 PM on April 10, 2006

I used to live in the same vegan skater crash flat as Barry and his sister in San Francisco. He had all kinds of graffiti panels up everywhere. He would spraypaint tags on paper blinds. There was a time when I regretted not having hustled some of that stuff out of the house for it's collector value, but I think the Twist phenomenon has come and gone. This tennis shoe is further proof of that. I mean, what's next, the Twist Burger? He's flailing. Barry is actually a very cool guy who has been through hell and back in the past several years. He used to hang out with Aaron Cometbus, too.
posted by squirrel at 2:20 PM on April 10, 2006

is that the prophet Mohammed on those shoes? DIE CARTOONIST INFIDELS!

Nike "Air Allah" shoes
posted by zsazsa at 2:35 PM on April 10, 2006

So I can wear my fez now?
posted by Smedleyman at 2:36 PM on April 10, 2006

Half-Chinese are the new terrorism.
posted by Bugbread at 2:51 PM on April 10, 2006

Everybody used to hang out with Aaron Cometbus.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:54 PM on April 10, 2006

Well, there's a wealth of material out there if they want to carry on the product line. I dunno, I don't think I would wear those shoes (even if they were at a sane price and even if it weren't for the whole supporting megacapitalist/sweatshop labour &c &c thing). It's a pretty strong similarity.

But, I'm white, so who am I to say? Stoopid non-clear-cut issues with their perplexing traps of unintentional racism!
posted by Drexen at 3:02 PM on April 10, 2006

They'd look good on the shelf with these Hisashi Tenmyouya-designed Samurai Adidas shoes. (scroll down)
posted by Robot Johnny at 3:09 PM on April 10, 2006

The fact that this IS out of context is a big issue, regardless of the artist's ethnicity ("Hey, Amos & Andy were black, so it's ok!"). While I'm sure a few of Barry's hardcore fans will cough up the money for the shoes, I suspect they will be sold mostly to the crowd that buys Gwen Stephani's clothing line, pretty much furthering the belief that asians and all things asian are commercial commodities, whether in the form of culture or mail order brides.
posted by yeloson at 3:21 PM on April 10, 2006

yeloson : "the crowd that buys Gwen Stephani's clothing line"

What is the crowd that buys Gwen Stephani's clothes?
posted by Bugbread at 3:30 PM on April 10, 2006

I'm offended that people are offended. I'm also offended by the fact that people are so freaking sensitive, and that they've made a rather boring piece of consumer art into something more powerful than it should be.

But that's just me.
posted by recurve at 3:57 PM on April 10, 2006

Way to piss on my one moment of reflected glory, Astro Zombie!
posted by squirrel at 4:12 PM on April 10, 2006

You know, I really can't be arsed to get outraged about a dumb fucking caricature on a pair of shit shoes when there's so much else that's actually worth getting outraged about. OMG THEY DID A CARICUtURE WITH SLANT EYES THROW SOMEONE IN JAIL.

Next.
posted by Decani at 4:44 PM on April 10, 2006

OMG, yeah, -you- don't have to be outraged. You haven't been the one made into a clown figure since the 1800's.

Privelege. Must be nice.
posted by yeloson at 5:01 PM on April 10, 2006

Decani : "OMG THEY DID A CARICUtURE WITH SLANT EYES THROW SOMEONE IN JAIL."

Right, then, Decani, off we go. Leave your keys and belt on the table, they'll be returned when you're released.
posted by Bugbread at 5:03 PM on April 10, 2006

yeloson: you don't know that. he could be red skelton, for chrissake. When are the hobo clowns going to get REPARATIONSS?
posted by keswick at 5:07 PM on April 10, 2006

[This is a great, rich post. That '2' link is broken, though.]

The Yellow shoe seems pretty stupid on both parties' part. The fact that McGee's half-Asian doesn't mean he and/or Adidas can't make a dumb decision, and I'd count stripping the context from his use of racist imagery and putting it on an overpriced Adidas shoe as that kind of decision. I'll admit it's not simple, though; I know I wouldn't be as upset if McGee had given the design to a small company run by Asian-Americans, and they turned it into, as Poplicks put it, "a subversive statement of self-identity and racial prodding." It's really hard to see how a message like that could possibly come from a company like Adidas. Business context matters, too.

Interesting that the update to Poplicks' defense of the shoe mentions white folks at Nike and Adidas who clearly don't get it; in a weird way Poplicks ends up defending the folks who are angry but leaves it hanging there.

[psst, ibeji, you probably should've noted that 'experienced' leads to a [pdf] file; it's nice to warn folks about links that open other applications.]
posted by mediareport at 6:12 PM on April 10, 2006

You haven't been the one made into a clown figure since the 1800's

True, but the big boys at school were always rilly rilly mean to me and called me shortarsed puff. Boo hoo.

Grow the fuck up, get over it and stop feeding the abuse by responding to it like a big fucking girl. Done that? Excellent. Now try getting angry about the Iraq invasion.
posted by Decani at 6:23 PM on April 10, 2006

Hey mediareport, yeah, sorry about the weird links (the pdf and the #2 link). The 2 is
feed://japundit.com/archives/2006/03/17/2123/feed/ and I wasn't sure how most machines handle these things... (mine opens it right up). Live and learn!

Zozo, I doubt I could make the Baby Jesus cry at this point--all my sinning has turned him into a jaded old man. By the way, did you know that your name means "penis" in Haitian Kréyol? Not trying to be a dick, I just wasn't sure if you knew; anyway, I think it's a cool name. It also means "little bird" in other contexts.
posted by ibeji at 6:34 PM on April 10, 2006

Oh... it's ON!
posted by squirrel at 7:06 PM on April 10, 2006

Grow the fuck up, get over it and stop feeding the abuse by responding to it like a big fucking girl. Done that? Excellent. Now try getting angry about the Iraq invasion.

Yes! You (all of you!) can only care or do anything about one thing! 24/7 Iraq Iraq Iraq, people, hut hut!
posted by Drexen at 7:23 PM on April 10, 2006

stop feeding the abuse by responding to it like a big fucking girl.

Or, in other words: "you're asking for it." Throwing in the sexist reference gives your blaming of the victim an additional 2 points. Congratulations.
posted by Cassford at 8:36 PM on April 10, 2006

stop feeding the abuse

cuz we all know the most effective way to eradicate abuse is to STFU like manly men and never ever call it out again.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 8:52 PM on April 10, 2006

posted by iconjack at 9:01 PM on April 10, 2006

What is the crowd that buys Gwen Stephani's clothes?

People with bad taste and/or label-whores.
posted by Kloryne at 9:30 PM on April 10, 2006

Shoes aren't racist, people are racist. Silly rabbit.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:46 AM on April 11, 2006

yeloson is a lacist.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 2:10 AM on April 11, 2006

If that t-shirt is wong, I don't want to be wight.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:22 AM on April 11, 2006

Wait ...

If that t-shirt is Wong, I don't want to be white!

I think it's a little better that way.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:23 AM on April 11, 2006

Hey ibeji! The "talented guy" link leads to Art 21, which if you (not ibeji "you", but MeFi "you") get a chance to watch is a terrific program about contemporary art. The Kiki Smith show really helped introduce me to an artist I was otherwise not looking at.

I was talking to an art student this morning about Barry McGee, as McGee is an important influence on this student's work. The student was concerned about how to talk to other artists and art teachers about McGee as coming from "outside" the traditional art world. (His appearance in Art 21 and the "Drawing Now" show puts him smack in the middle of the Barney&Whitney crowd, but I knew what he was getting at.) One thing that interests me about McGee, as someone who thinks about and feels passionate about pop culture is the divide between doing something well (good pop culture) and doing that thing maniacally well (the art world). As creative image production is globalized, that is, as we see commercial images from Japan, Russia, Ireland, Iran, etc., and art becomes more interactive and more inclusive, how do I continue to justify the pursuit of the monastically well-produced item?
posted by Slothrop at 10:06 AM on April 11, 2006

So... the keg is... where, again?
posted by squirrel at 11:51 PM on April 11, 2006