Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth was invited to cut the macabre cake at the Museum of Modern Art (Moderna Museet) in Stockholm on April 15 as a ploy to raise awareness of female genital mutilation and illustrate degrading racial stereotypes.
The plan sharply backfired, though, with some describing it as a “racist spectacle” and calling for Liljeroth to step down this morning.
The black cake had blood-red sponge on the inside and as party-goers cut into the body, a human head – portrayed by performance artist Makode Aj Linde – screamed in pain.
Linde, the brains behind the cake, said it had been greatly misunderstood.
The Association for African Swedes said the cake was crude and racist, and showed a lack of judgment on Liljeroth’s part.
“According to the Moderna Museet, the ‘cake party’ was meant to problematize female circumcision but how that is accomplished through a cake representing a racist caricature of a black woman complete with ‘black face’ is unclear,” spokesman Kitimbwa Sabuni said.
“To say that you did this for a good cause only makes the mockery of people who are victims of racism and of circumcision worse.”
Liljeroth said she understood why some people were offended by the incident.
“I was invited to speak at World Art Day about the freedom of art and its right to provoke,” she told TT news agency.
“And then they wanted me to cut into the cake. I don’t review art, but I can very well understand that this whole situation was misunderstood.”
Image via youtube.com/YUNGandWAVEY
