A Short Play

Elle Whitehead

SETTING:

The Mead Art Museum at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. The scene begins in the basement of the museum, where a class studying modern African literature observes and takes notes on artwork produced by African artists.

 

CHARACTERS:

Charlotte, a 20-year-old White female student

Amelia, a 19-year-old Black female student

Professor Alexander, a 38-year-old biracial female professor

Students, 18–22-year-old students of a range of genders and ethnicities

 

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ACT ONE, SCENE ONE

 

A brisk fall afternoon. There are 20 students in the museum basement, in addition to

a professor and two museum employees. The basement is cold and gray, filled with boxes of

artwork not on display in the museum. The students walk around a small room,

empty except for 6 pieces of artwork hung on the four walls.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

You are welcome to explore the gallery now. Feel free to get up close and personal to any piece that truly speaks to you.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

That may require moving from your seats.

 

An audible groan emerges from the STUDENTS. They move around the basement and observe the art pieces on the walls.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Oh, woah. I like this one.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Charlotte, it sounds like you found an interesting piece. Care to share with the class?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Oh, uh, sure, I guess.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Perfect. Thank you. Folks, gather around please. Which piece is it again Charlotte?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Um, it looks like. O-ol-olympia?

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Ah! Yes, you have found the print of the Manet.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Yeah. So. The reason I like this piece is because she- the lady in the painting. She’s uh, relaxed. And um, she is tended to. And, she looks like she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. And that’s. That’s something really cool for women. Should I keep going or?

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Yes, please.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Yes. Women are so oppressed. But the picture lady just gets to chill. With a flower in her hair. I want to be like that.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Alright, well, uh, anything else you may have noticed about this piece?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Uh, wait, was I supposed to?

 

Professor Alexander shrugs her shoulders as if to say, “I don’t know, you tell me”. Charlotte shrugs back and remains silent.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Alright, then, let’s open it up to the class. Any more thoughts about “Olympia”? Oh, I see a hand. Amelia?

 

AMELIA

 

Yeah, uh, I don’t feel like slavery is self-care. Well, maybe for the white lady it is.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

I didn’t say that.

 

AMELIA

 

It was implied. We go to a museum full of African art, and the first drawing someone likes is a picture of a white person with a slave made by a white man.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Oh. Yeah… I uh. Well, she’s a woman, right? We never get to relax. So, I thought this was kind of empowering, I dunno.

 

AMELIA

 

But white women do get to relax. They don’t have to leave their house in fear of being killed by a cop. Or having their babies shot. But sure, they’re oppressed.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Amelia, Charlotte, thank you. This is an important conversation. We need to view art with a critical lens. Who made the piece. Why they made the piece. What bias do they bring to the table.

 

AMELIA

 

Oh, I can speak on that!

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

Sure, go ahead, you have the floor.

 

The STUDENTS are silent. Charlotte does not move an inch.

 

AMELIA

 

Yes, so like you were saying- exactly. Like, look at how Manet made the black woman right in the corner, next to the cat. She’s portrayed as an animal. Or a second thought. And the white woman gets to be the focus. She’s all relaxed. Like, content with the slavery.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Amelia. I’m- I’m sorry. I guess I just kind of assumed that-

 

AMELIA

 

Because it’s art we can still enjoy it even with racist undertones?

 

Charlotte shrugs sheepishly.

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Yeah. I guess to be honest, I didn’t really notice the uh. The other woman. I was only looking at the woman lying down. I’m sorry.

 

AMELIA

 

To be honest I think that was the point. The slave woman is not supposed to be noticed. She is like. Uh. Like… like an afterthought. She is supposed to shut up and be quiet. Just serve, you know?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Yeah. I can, uh. I can see that now. Thanks, actually, thanks. Sorry. I-I didn’t realize it was. You know. My comment was-

 

AMELIA

 

I know. That’s that thing, isn’t it?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

No, yeah. It uh, it is. You’re uh. You’re right you know. Thanks, Amelia. It’s not your job to educate me, like thank you, but like… that’s a lot of responsibility. So, uh, thanks. And, ah, yeah-

 

AMELIA

 

Thanks for listening. It’s a- it’s a really good conversation to have, you know?

 

CHARLOTTE

 

Yeah.

 

PROFESSOR ALEXANDER

 

And so do I. Alright. Thank you both. For speaking and listening. Let’s keep observing, shall we?

 

END SCENE

 

 

Works Cited

Manet, Edouard. Olympia. 1863, Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Oil Painting.

 

About the Author

Eleanor (Elle) Whitehead is originally from Westford, MA and is a recent graduate of the BDIC program at UMass Amherst. She is currently earning her Masters in Public Affairs degree also at UMass. In her spare time, she loves to read, write, and take on new artistic endeavors.