me

 

A guy I leafleted about an exhibition I've organised stopped and asked me about a projection of a person brushing his or her hair forward perpetually on a loop so you never see the face (Jananne Al-Ani). He asked me what it was about. I answered with questions. As he walked away, he said loudly over his shoulder, You're Jewish. I was stunned. I called back, Yes I am. And then sat there wondering why he had come to that conclusion. It happens rarely because I don't look particularly Jewish but it always make me paranoid - what have I done to solicit that kind of a response?

Luckily he came back to talk about the work some more so I asked him. He shrugged and then said - your accent. I said, but I'm Australian. I have an Australian accent but I am Jewish as well. He just shrugged.

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