Podcast: Director's Dialogue on Art and Social Change

This week brings the wide release of Nate Parker's The Birth of a Nation, a cinematic account of the slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in 1831 that won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. On September 19, the Wexner Center partnered with colleagues from The Ohio State University for Director's Dialogue on Art and Social Change: Culture, Ethics, and Controversy, to address the contentious debate surrounding the release of the film in light of the extensive media coverage surrounding an episode from Parker's personal past involving allegations of sexual assault while he was a college student. Moderated by Jennifer Beard, director of The Women's Place, the conversation featured thoughtful insights from panelists Wendy G. Smooth, associate professor in the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Joni Boyd Acuff, assistant professor in the Department of Arts Administration, Education, and Policy; and Leslie Alexander, associate professor in the Department of African American and African Studies. They touched on topics ranging from the legacy of slavery to the moral standards applied to artists, to the safety challenges facing young women in contemporary culture. 

Click here for the podcast version of the Director's Dialogue. Whether or not you plan to see The Birth of a Nation, if you believe that issues of race, gender, campus culture, and consent matter, this is a must-listen. Our sincere thanks to the moderator and panelists for their participation in this discussion.