Adrian Piper's Funk Lessons

Heads nods, shoulders pop and bottoms shake to funk music—all of which artist Adrian Piper believes will slowly guide the racist world to one of greater appreciation and understanding. Since discrimination results largely from fear, the artist aims to eliminate this feeling by opening discussion through music and dance. Piper’s film project entitled “Funk Lessons” shows the artist teaching white men and women how to listen to culturally “black” music and move to the beats, as would any other African American. Unlike conventional artwork that simply calls upon the viewer’s eyes, Piper’s work is participatory, meaning it not only commands attention, but also demands action from those engaged in the film. Piper’s “Funk Lessons” aims to bridge racial gaps between people of all ethnicities, primarily to show the undeserved tension stemming from fear of another’s unknown culture. She tries to use the somewhat universal language of music and of movement in order to relate to all people, regardless of their race.
A significant factor contributing to Piper’s desire to ease tension between the black and white worlds can be attributed to her multi-racial background, as she uses her rare ethnic roots to identify with both blacks and whites. Children of mixed-races often find trouble aligning themselves with one particular community because they are naturally “different” than each standardized group. Instead of officially choosing what race she would like to associate with, Piper uses “the fact that both her parents were of mixed-race heritage as a strategic point from which to attack essentialist concepts of race herself” (Cotter 2). She looks at race as a social construct, meaning it is something sociologically created, not biologically determined. Piper is able to come to this conclusion because of her seemingly outsider status, as she culturally feels black, but has light skin. Her background innately thrusts her into the racist world where there is a significant discrepancy between black and white cultures. Moreover, Piper can relate easier to both races, whereas a single-raced artist might find it difficult, or nearly impossible, to relate to those of another race, especially in an educational setting. In her notes on funk, Piper directly says that “Funk Lessons” allows her to “overcome [her] own sense of alienation, both from white and black culture (Bishop134). As a piece of art as well as a commentary on race, “Funk Lessons” demonstrates Piper’s ability as a multi-racial woman to connect with her white students and teach them about popular black culture in a non-threatening setting; this is the most important factor, which eventually opens dialogue between the opposing races.
The role of funk in Piper’s “Funk Lessons” primarily seeks to break down pre-conceived fears held by the white upper- class, trying to educate whites on the music itself as well as what it contributes to black society. Before Piper’s film, funk music “sometimes elicited anxiety, anger or contempt from middle-class, college-educated whites” (Piper 133). On the other hand, funk serves as the “beacon of youth culture” (Tillotson 1) for the black community, just as Madonna or Molly Ringwald are iconic to white popular culture. However, to this alternate white, seemingly high-standing society, funk merely sounds mindless and monotonous (Piper 133). Since whites have yet to ignore their judgments about this music genre, a fence is immediately placed between the two races; it is this fence that “Funk Lessons” aims to eliminate. However, Piper’s primary downfall is that she enters this film regarding music as a universal language. She does not recognize that while everyone can relate to rhythms and beats, funk is more than just music; it is black popular culture. This inevitably limits a number of participants from the white community. Countering this argument, Piper claims that she only aims to teach those willing to learn (Mapping Mindsets 2), for she knows it if futile to alter the attitudes of those not willing to listen. Examining the racial gap today, Rap music elicits the exact response from the older, upper- class white society. There is only a select group of people from each race that are willing to openly accept an alternative music genre. Just as funk music sings about controversial topics that appear “sexually threatening” (Piper 133) and “culturally intrusive” (Piper 133), Rap music today speaks of violence, drug abuse and female objectification. Piper’s “Funk Lessons” illustrates the gradual movement towards further understanding, as Rap music holds the attention of not only the black community, but the young white community as well.
Whereas funk music limits the audience willing to learn about black culture, movement serves as an all-together universal form of expression that Piper ultimately hopes can unify the races. “Funk Lessons” uses white participants, showing them culturally black movements. This film hopes also to evoke greater understanding from the black community. In the video, Piper highlights the importance of self-expression and education, noting “it is so important, not only for African Americans but also for European America. If African Americans can find constructive outlets of their ‘racialized experiences,’ they will be less damaged and less dangerous” (Mapping Mindsets 2). An unknown or unfamiliar culture undoubtedly scares those who are not apart of it, as ignorance causes racism and discrimination. If blacks and whites shed their judgments about the opposing race, society might see a decrease the hate violence and segregation Piper speaks about. According to Piper, full body movement can create a cohesive society because everyone, regardless of race, can participate in her artwork. Dance acts as an outlet where blacks and whites can express their own culture while simultaneously experiencing another. Once again, race is portrayed merely a social construct that is “learned, and learnable, behavior” (Cotter 1). This foundation of thought promotes appreciation of other cultures, affording blacks and whites the ability as outsiders to participate in the other’s culture through movement.
Even though “Funk Lessons” aims to bridge racial gaps, Piper’s own covert racism contributes to others being offended by her art. Piper wrongly assumes that because she is both black and white, she is exempt from exhibiting racist beliefs. She somewhat offends white culture by deeming its dance rituals as mainly achievement oriented. On the other hand, she attributes black movement with deeper meaning, saying it unifies the entire community through a distinct set of symbols (Piper 130). While Piper does not realize her own biased beliefs, participants in the project as well as viewers see the project as condescending. Many feel “patronized and react aggressively by dismissing the work” (Mapping Mindsets 2), which ultimately hinders the goal of the film to eliminate such tension. Because whites feel offended, they ignore Piper’s message and “Funk Lessons” becomes a futile attempt to eliminate racism. However, Piper counters this feeling, saying “My work targets particular attitudes through humor [and] mimicry… and allows different individual viewers to situate themselves in relation to those attitudes” (Mapping Mindsets 3). She tries to create an unconventional, relaxed environment that is open to mockery. However, the tension between the races seems too vast for this approach. The original mission of “Funk Lessons” was to reveal inherent racist attitudes, especially since most people are not aware that they possess such beliefs. It is unclear as to whether Piper herself is racist or merely uses herself as a model that seeks to create awareness of society’s underlying racism through mockery. Nevertheless, for Piper’s film to be more successful, she should have approached the project with more sensitivity. Her failure to understand white mentality and culture proves equally as harmful as her negative commentary on white culture’s close-mindedness.
Piper’s intention to weaken barriers between black and white cultures in “Funk Lessons” appears noble, yet quixotic. While the film promotes multi-racial unification by means of a “shared physical language” (Piper 131), engaging a broad range of people who vary in ethnicity and ideology is too simplistic. Despite its potential failure to bridge the racial gap, the piece serves to move aesthetic practices closer to social services (Kwon 117); this means that Piper utilizes and somewhat exploits art’s ability to speak to a community by directing attention towards societal issues that need repair, such as race. Her video implies that racism and discrimination can be obliterated through raising consciousness within both communities. If whites learn to appreciate and appropriate aspects of black culture, and if the black community makes the same, conscious effort in relation to white culture, both races can eventually progress towards harmony with one another. Eliminating the fear present in both societies is the primary factor influencing a future change, and education serves as the remedy for this very misunderstanding. Ultimately, Piper’s “Funk Lessons” examines race as a social problem that has the potential to be fixed with the communication, cooperation and above all, the participation from all peoples of every race.