ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dread Scott - Visual artist
Dread Scott makes revolutionary art to propel history forward.

Why you should listen

Dread Scott's work is exhibited across the US and internationally. In 1989, his art became the center of national controversy over its transgressive use of the American flag, while he was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. President G.H.W. Bush called his art "disgraceful," and the entire US Senate denounced and outlawed this work. Scott became part of a landmark Supreme Court case when he and others defied the new law by burning flags on the steps of the US Capitol. His studio is now based in Brooklyn. 

Scott's work has been included in exhibitions at New York's MoMA PS1, the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and Gallery MOMO in Cape Town, South Africa. His performance work has been presented at BAM in Brooklyn and on the streets of Harlem, NY. His work is in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Brooklyn Museum, and it has been featured on the cover of Artforum magazine and the front page of NYTimes.com. Scott is a recipient of a 2018 United States Artists Fellowship and grants from the Creative Capital Foundation and the Open Society Institute. He works in a range of media, from performance and photography to screen-printing and video.   

Scott plays with fire -- metaphorically and sometimes literally -- as when he burned $171 on Wall Street and encouraged those with money to add theirs to the pyre. His work asks viewers to look soberly at America's past and our present. Writing about a recent banner project, Angelica Rogers wrote in the New York Times: "...it was difficult to look away from the flag's blocky, capitalized type. 'A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday.' It shouted the words so matter-of-factly that I felt myself physically flinch."

Scott is currently working on Slave Rebellion Reenactment, a community engaged performance that will reenact the largest rebellion of enslaved people in American History.

More profile about the speaker
Dread Scott | Speaker | TED.com
TED2018

Dread Scott: How art can shape America's conversation about freedom

دیرد سكۆت: هونه‌ر چۆن ده‌توانێت ببێته‌ هۆی دروستبوونی گفتوگۆی ئه‌مه‌ریكا سه‌باره‌ت به‌ ئازادی

Filmed:
1,368,594 views

لێره‌دا هونه‌رمه‌ند ( درید سكوت ) به‌شێوه‌یه‌كی كورت و پوخت باسی یه‌كێك له‌ كاره‌ هونه‌ریه‌ مۆڕاڵییەکانی ده‌كات كه‌ بووه‌ هۆی سه‌رنجراكێشانی گه‌لان بۆ نه‌شیاو به‌كارهێنانی ئاڵای ئه‌مه‌ریكا، كه‌ بووه‌ دۆسییه‌یه‌كی مێژووی له‌ دادگای باڵای ئه‌مه‌ریكا.
- Visual artist
Dread Scott makes revolutionary art to propel history forward. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

،من کاری ھونەری بینراو دەکەم
00:12
I am a visual artist,
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00:14
and I make revolutionary art
to propel history forward.
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شۆرشێکی ھونەری بەرپادەکەم
.بۆ بەرەوپێشبردنی مێژوو
00:18
I'm going to come right out
and tell you something:
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:ئێستا دەمەوێت شتێکتان پێبڵێم
00:20
I don't accept the economic foundation,
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قبوڵی ڕێخراوی ئابوری و
00:22
the social relations
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پەیوەندی کۆمەڵایەتیەکان و
00:23
or the governing ideas of America.
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یان ئەو بیرۆکانەی ئەمریکا
بەڕێوە دەبات، ناکەم.
ھونەرەکەی من
بۆگۆرانێکی گه‌وهه‌رییه‌
00:26
My art contributes to fundamental change
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00:28
by encouraging an audience to address
big questions from that perspective.
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له‌ڕێگه‌ی هاندانی جه‌ماوه‌ره‌وه‌
.به‌ پرسیاركردن لەوبارەیەوە
،گۆڕینی کۆمەڵگە ئاسته‌مە
.بەڵام بیرۆكه‌كان زۆر گرنگه‌
00:32
Social change is hard,
but ideas matter tremendously.
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کاتێک دەڵێم ھونەرمەندم
".خەڵکی ده‌ڵێن، "ئۆ، وێنەکێشە
00:37
When I say I'm an artist,
most people think, "Oh, he's a painter."
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00:40
Behind me, you can see
some of the kind of work I do.
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.ده‌توانن كاره‌كانم ببینن له‌ پشتمه‌وه‌یه‌
"خەیاڵکردنی جیھان بەبێ ئەمەریکا"
،تابلۆیەکە
00:43
"Imagine a World
Without America" is a painting,
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،بەڵام لەچوارچێوه‌ی میدیاکاردەکەم
00:45
but I work in a range of media,
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00:47
including photography,
video and performance art.
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،كه‌ پێکھاتوە لە وێنەگرتن
.و ڤیدیۆ و ئه‌كته‌ری
00:53
A current project,
"Slave Rebellion Reenactment,"
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،پرۆژەکەی ئێستام
"،دووباره‌ یاخیبوونەوەی كۆیلایه‌تی"
00:56
is going to be reenacted
on the outskirts of New Orleans
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دوباره‌ دەیکەینەوە بە شانۆ بۆ
ناوچه‌كانی نیو و لینز
00:59
this November.
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.مانگی ١١ی ئه‌م ساڵ
01:02
In 1989, I had an artwork that became
the center of controversy
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لە١٩٨٩، کارێکی ھونەرم كرد
کە بووە هۆی ناڕەزایی
01:06
over its transgressive use
of the American flag.
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له‌ بەکارھێنانی ئاڵای ئەمەریکا
.له‌شێوه‌ی شه‌ره‌نگێز
چ ڕێگەیه‌ك باشه‌ بۆنیشاندانی"
"ئاڵای ئه‌مه‌ریكا؟
01:09
"What is the Proper Way
to Display a US Flag?"
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01:12
is a conceptual work that encouraged
audience participation.
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کارێکی چەمکدارە ھانی بینەران دەدات
.بەژداری بکەن
01:16
It consisted of a photo montage
that had text that read,
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پێکھاتبوو لە وێنەیەکی مۆنتاژ
،کە له‌ژێری نوسراوه
01:18
"What is the Proper Way
to Display a US Flag?"
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گونجاوترین ڕێگە چییە"
"بۆ نیشاندانی ئاڵای ئەمەریکا؟
له‌ژێرەوەی کتێب هەبوو
،دەتوانرا وه‌ڵامی تێدا بنوسرێت
01:21
Below that were books that people
could write responses to that question in,
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01:24
and below that was a flag
that people had the option of standing on.
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لەژیر ئەوەشوەو ئاڵایەک ھەبووکە خەڵک
.بەخواستی خۆی لە سەری دەوەستا
01:28
The photo montage consisted
of images of South Korean students
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وێنە مۆنتاژکراوەکە پێکھاتبوو
لە قوتابییه‌كانی کۆریای باشور
01:31
burning American flags,
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،كه‌ ئاڵای ئەمەریکا دەسوتێنن
،دروشمێکیان ھەڵگرتوه‌
"،بگه‌رێوه‌ بۆ خاكی خۆت، دایک قەحبە "
01:32
holding signs that said,
"Yankee go home. Son of a bitch,"
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01:35
and below that were flag-draped coffins
coming back from Vietnam.
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و لەژێره‌وه‌ش ئاڵاكان پێچراون و داپۆشراو
.کە لە ڤێتنام دەگەرانەوە
01:39
People wrote long and short answers.
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.خەڵکی وەڵامی کورت و درێژیان نوسیبوو
01:41
Thousands of people engaged with the work
in a lot of different languages.
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ھەزاران خەڵک به‌ژداریان له‌ کارەکە كرد
.بە زمانی جۆراوجۆر و جیاواز
01:45
Some of the people said,
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،یه‌كێك گوتبووی
01:47
"I'm a German girl.
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.من کچێکی ئه‌ڵمانیم"
01:48
If we Germans would admire
our flag as you all do,
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گه‌ر ئێمه‌ی ئه‌ڵملنی ئاشنای
،ئاڵاكه‌مان بین وه‌ك ئێوه
01:51
we would be called Nazis again.
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.ئه‌وا سه‌ر له‌نوێ پێیان ئه‌وتین نازی
01:53
I think you do have too much
trouble about this flag."
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پێموایە بەھۆی ئەم ئاڵایەوە
".ڕوبه‌روی کێشەی زۆر ده‌بن
پێموایە ھونەرمه‌ند پێویستە "
،بگەرێتەوە سه‌ر كلتوره‌كه‌ی
01:57
"I think that the artist
should be returned to his heritage,
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02:00
i.e., the jungles of Africa,
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،مه‌به‌ستم جەنگەڵەکانی ئەفریقا
02:02
and then he can shovel manure
in his artistic way."
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دوای ئه‌مه‌ش خۆڵ و خاك
".به‌شێوه‌ی هونه‌ری ده‌گۆرێت
ئه‌م ئاڵایه‌ی له‌سه‌ری وه‌ستاوم موڵکی"
:سیسته‌مێکی چەوسێنەرە
02:06
"This flag I'm standing on stands for
everything oppressive in this system:
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سه‌ربڕینی ھندیەکان و ھەموو ئەو خه‌ڵكه‌
،چه‌وساوانه‌ی لە جیھاندا هەن
02:10
the murder of the Indians
and all the oppressed around the world,
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02:13
including my brother
who was shot by a pig,
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یەکێک لەوانەش براکەم
،پۆلیسێكی بەراز كوشتی
شەقی لەجەستەی دا
".تا دڵنیا بێتەوە برا ڕەشپێستەکەم مردوە"
02:15
who kicked over his body
to 'make sure the nigger was dead.'
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.پۆلیسه‌كه‌ ئاڵاكه‌ی به‌شانه‌وه‌ بوو
02:19
That pig was wearing the flag.
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02:21
Thank you, Dread Scott,
for this opportunity."
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،سوپاس، دیرید سکۆت
".بۆ ئەم دەرفەتە
وه‌ك سه‌ربازێكی كۆن"
،بەرگری لە ئاڵا
02:24
"As a veteran defending the flag,
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02:25
I personally would never
defend your stupid ass!
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!هه‌رگیز له‌سه‌رت ناكه‌مه‌وە
ئەی حیز."
"!شایه‌نی ئه‌وه‌ی بكوژرێیت
تیمی سیڵی دەریای ئەمەریکی
02:28
You should be shot!" -- US Navy Seal Team.
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02:32
As you can see, people had
very strong reactions about the flag then,
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وەک دەبینرێت، خەڵکی کاردانەوەیەکی
،بەھێزیان ھەیە دەربارەی ئەو ئاڵایە
02:35
as they do now.
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.هه‌روه‌ك ئێستە
خۆپشاندان هه‌بوو به‌بیانوی هاتنی سه‌رباز
.بۆبه‌رده‌م په‌یمانگای هونه‌ری له‌ شیكاگۆ
02:37
There were demonstrations of veterans
in front of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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،هه‌ندێ دروشمیان ده‌گوته‌وه‌
02:41
They chanted things like,
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02:42
"The flag and the artist,
hang them both high,"
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"،ئاڵا و ھونەر ھەردوک له‌سێداره‌ بده‌ن"
02:44
evoking images of lynching.
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.بەهێنانی وێنە سێداره‌
02:46
I received numerous death threats,
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زۆرهه‌ره‌شه‌ی كوشتنم بۆ ده‌هات،
بۆمبێکی هەرەشەم بۆ هات
بۆ قوتابخانەکەم.
02:48
and bomb threats
were phoned in to my school.
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02:50
It was a very dangerous situation.
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.بارودۆخێکی زور مەترسیدار بوو
02:52
Later, President Bush called
the work "disgraceful,"
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دواتر، سەرۆک بۆش ناوی ئەم کارەی نا
"،شەرمەزاری"
02:54
which I viewed as a tremendous honor,
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،به‌ڵام من وەک شەرەفێکی گەورە دەیبینم
02:56
and Congress outlawed the work.
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.و کۆنگرس ئەو کارەی قەدەغەكرد
02:58
(Laughter)
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(پێکەنین)
من بوومە بەشێک لە دۆسیه‌ له‌ دادگای باڵا
،بووم به‌ پێشێلكاری یاسا
02:59
I became part of a Supreme Court case
when I and others defied that law,
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بەسوتانی ئاڵاکان
.به‌هۆی لۆمه‌ كردنی كۆنگرس
03:03
by burning flags
on the steps of the Capitol.
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03:06
That action and the subsequent
legal and political battle
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ئه‌م ڕوداوە
سیاسیە یەکە دوا یەکەکان و شەڕی دۆسیه‌
03:09
led to a landmark First Amendment decision
that prevented the government
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بوە ھۆی بڕیارێكی مێژوویی له‌ به‌ندی یەکەم
له‌ ده‌ستور بۆ رێگه‌ كرتن له‌ دادگا
03:13
from demanding
patriotism be mandatory.
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.و به‌ نیشتمان په‌روه‌ری ناچاری
03:16
But let me back up a bit.
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.با کەمێک بگەڕێینەوە
03:17
These people literally wanted me dead.
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.له‌ڕاستیدا خه‌ڵكانێك ویستیان بمكوژن
03:20
What I would do at this moment
would make a difference.
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لەم کاتەدا چی بکەم،
چی لە باسەکە دەگۆڕێت.
03:23
This is me at the exact same moment,
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،ئەوە منم كە لە گونجاوترین کاتدا
03:25
eight stories above that crowd.
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.ھەشت قات لەسەرەوەی ئەو ژاوەژاوە
03:28
It was supposed to be for a photo shoot
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وا دانرابوو كه‌ ئه‌مه‌
بۆ وێنەگرتنێك بێت
03:30
that was going to take place on the steps
where the veterans were at that time.
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كه‌ باس له‌سه‌ر وه‌ستانی پۆل به‌پۆلی
.سه‌ربازه‌كان بكات له‌م كاته‌دا
،وه‌ستانی من له‌وێ سەلامەت نابێت بۆم
.له‌مه‌ش زیاتر ده‌وترا
03:34
It wouldn't have been safe
for me to be there, to say the least.
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بەڵام ئه‌وكاته‌ بخه‌ به‌رچاوت
،كه‌ زۆر گرینگبوو
03:37
But it was really important
to do that shoot,
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،لەبەرئەوەی ئەگەر کەسێک بیەوێت من بکوژێت
لەم کاتەدا
03:39
because while some wanted to kill me,
it was also a situation
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بۆئەوانەی کە ئاڵای ئه‌مەریکا دەبینن وەک
سونبولێك بۆ سته‌مكار
03:42
where those who viewed the American flag
as standing for everything oppressive
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لەم ڕژێمه‌
03:45
in this system
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ھەستیانكرد كه‌ دەنگیان ھەیە
03:47
felt that they had a voice,
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.و دەنگەکە پێویستە گه‌وره‌ بكرێت
03:48
and that voice needed to be amplified.
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03:50
The point is this:
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:په‌نده‌كه‌ ئه‌وه‌یه‌
03:52
changing anything --
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-- گۆرینی ھەرشتێک
03:53
whether it's conventional ideas
about US national symbols,
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جا چ بیرۆکەیەکی دووباره‌ بێت دەربارەی
،سیمبولی نێودەوڵەتی ئەمەریکا
03:57
traditional thinking challenged
by scientific breakthroughs
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یان به‌رهه‌ڵستی كرانه‌وه‌ی زانستی
بۆ بیركردنه‌وه‌ی دووباره‌
04:00
or ousting an authoritarian president --
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-- یان لابردنی سه‌رۆكی كه‌له‌ ڕه‌ق
04:02
requires a lot of things.
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.زۆر شتی پێویستە
04:04
It requires courage,
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،پێویستی بە ھاندانە
04:05
luck
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بەخت
04:07
and also vision and boldness of action.
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.و ھەروەھا چاونه‌ترسی له‌ کارەکە
04:10
But on luck --
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-- بەڵام لەسەر بەخت
04:12
I have to say, the photo shoot we did
might not have worked out so well.
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دەمەوێت بڵێم، ئەو وێنانەی گرتمان
.ڕەنگە کاری خۆی نەکردبێت بەباشی
04:15
We laughed after we were out of the area.
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.کە ناوچه‌كه‌مان جێهێشت پێکەنین
04:18
But the thing is, it was worth the risk
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،بەڵام سەرکێشەکی بەنرخ بوو
بەھۆی ئه‌و به‌ربه‌ستانه‌ی
.كه‌ خرانه‌ پێشمان
04:20
because of the stakes that were involved.
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ئا لەم بارودۆخە بەخت یاوه‌رمانبوو
،بۆشتێكی نایاب
04:22
And in this case, the luck
led to a wonderful,
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04:24
profound and powerful situation
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حاڵه‌تێكی قوڵ و هێزێكی نایاب
04:25
that was also humorous.
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ئه‌مه‌ پێكه‌نیناوی بوو
04:27
Thank you.
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.سوپاس بۆ ئێوه‌
04:28
(Applause)
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(چەپڵەڕێزان)
Translated by aweza Abubakir

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dread Scott - Visual artist
Dread Scott makes revolutionary art to propel history forward.

Why you should listen

Dread Scott's work is exhibited across the US and internationally. In 1989, his art became the center of national controversy over its transgressive use of the American flag, while he was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. President G.H.W. Bush called his art "disgraceful," and the entire US Senate denounced and outlawed this work. Scott became part of a landmark Supreme Court case when he and others defied the new law by burning flags on the steps of the US Capitol. His studio is now based in Brooklyn. 

Scott's work has been included in exhibitions at New York's MoMA PS1, the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and Gallery MOMO in Cape Town, South Africa. His performance work has been presented at BAM in Brooklyn and on the streets of Harlem, NY. His work is in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Brooklyn Museum, and it has been featured on the cover of Artforum magazine and the front page of NYTimes.com. Scott is a recipient of a 2018 United States Artists Fellowship and grants from the Creative Capital Foundation and the Open Society Institute. He works in a range of media, from performance and photography to screen-printing and video.   

Scott plays with fire -- metaphorically and sometimes literally -- as when he burned $171 on Wall Street and encouraged those with money to add theirs to the pyre. His work asks viewers to look soberly at America's past and our present. Writing about a recent banner project, Angelica Rogers wrote in the New York Times: "...it was difficult to look away from the flag's blocky, capitalized type. 'A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday.' It shouted the words so matter-of-factly that I felt myself physically flinch."

Scott is currently working on Slave Rebellion Reenactment, a community engaged performance that will reenact the largest rebellion of enslaved people in American History.

More profile about the speaker
Dread Scott | Speaker | TED.com

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