After a white artist posted a video showing her home decor, she received backlash for her bathroom, which some have called slavery themed.
In a now-deleted video, artist Hannah Polskin showed viewers a tour of her home, showing off her decor. However, her bathroom design raised many viewers’ eyebrows. Polskin’s bathroom is decorated with photos, including one of Muhammad Ali, African-inspired art, an African tribal mask and figurine, and an afro pick, among other objects. Her toilet paper holder is made out of chains.
The artist has garnered backlash, as some viewers think that the traditionally African art and objects and a photo of a Ali, who is Black, with the chainlink toilet paper holder connotes slavery. As Polskin is a white woman, her decor is being considered offensive. Polskin did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
In a TikTok that shows Polskin’s now-deleted video, TikToker JPG (@jpgeez) says that he has questions about the artist’s bathroom decor.
“Did somebody ask you to style the bathroom like this?” JPG says in his video. “The toilet paper holder with the choice of the rest of the decor: You know, separate, not really an issue. But together? Interesting.”
The Daily Dot reached out to JPG via email.
@jpgeez #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo @Hannah Polskin ♬ original sound – JPG
Commenters on JPG’s video reacted to Polskin’s decor, and added some context.
“This can’t be real!” one person wrote.
“It’s also wild to have African masks and [a] sculpture, which have both religious and ancestral meaning in a bathroom,” another said. “Such a lack of respect.” The objects are significant in rituals and ceremonies among Indigenous groups and tribes in Africa, as they can represent spirits, former ancestors, or other supernatural forces.
Another TikToker, @epiphanytears2, said that Polskin’s bathroom makes it seem like “she has Black friends but doesn’t see color,” which is in reference to “racial colorblindness,” or the idea that some white people see everyone equally regardless of their race. However, the concept of racial colorblindness has been widely criticized for being racist in practice.
@epiphanytears2 She probably took down the video by now but in case you missed it lol #hannahpolskinstudio #abstractartist #hannahpolskinbathroom ♬ original sound – 1234
Many commenters on @epiphanytears2’s video said that Polskin’s bathroom reminded them of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, a movie in which a white family purports to be liberal and anti-racist, but they actually harvest the bodies of Black people to achieve immortality.
Although Polskin deleted the video showing her bathroom, some viewers have migrated to the comments sections of her other TikToks to sound off on her decor choices.
“The bathroom inspiration,” one commenter wrote. “What was it exactly?”
“What did you mean when you added the chain,” another said.
“Hannah,” yet another commenter added. “We gotta talk about that bathroom.”
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*First Published: Nov 28, 2023, 1:11 pm CST
Tricia Crimmins
Tricia Crimmins is the IRL staff writer at the Daily Dot. She is also a New York-based comedian and an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Previously, she has written for Mashable, Complex Networks, and Moment magazine. She can be found on Twitter at @TriciaCrimmins.
