Entryways, an art piece curated by Diamond Stingily, displays three different doors with a bat accompanying each door. One door is relatively longer and thinner than the rest, and the other doors seem to have a bright yellow curtain or a semi-circle window at the top center of the door. Regardless of how different the doors were, all the doors seem to have one thing in common: a bat leaning against the door. Though the art piece itself seems simple, the intent and message behind the piece is intricate. Stingily intended to inform her audience of how Black communities experiencing systemic violence have adapted to their environment. In turn, she also wanted to emphasize to her audience that being able to live in a non-violent environment is a privilege.
Ethos plays a large part in driving Stingily’s intentions. At the MoMA, the art piece is accompanied by a plaque which details the author’s inspiration and intentions behind making Entryways. The plaque goes into detail about how Entryways was inspired by Estelle, Stingily’s grandmother, who used to have a bat lying against her door as a means of guarding against imminent threats. Hearing about Estelle’s old habit brought credibility to Stingily’s piece. Specifically hearing about how Estelle, who lived in Chicago, would grasp the bat whenever there was a knock on the door put into perspective how the art piece is a reality for many individuals who are impacted by systemic violence. Providing written context in the form of a plaque next to the piece really helped highlight how many individuals in this world experience violence to a point where they must rely on a bat near the door for safety and reassurance. For those who live in a world where violence is prevalent, this piece lets them know they’re not alone; however, for those who have the privilege to never consider using a bat, this piece of art is meant to enlighten them on other people’s struggles and hopefully evoke empathy that would drive them to fight for change that will provide more people the privilege of safety.
The name of the piece is also impactful as it is somewhat ironic. When you think of the work “Entryways,” you associate it with words like “Welcome” and “Inviting” because it essentially is describing where people should be entering from. However, the art piece seems to speak otherwise. The bat lying by the doors are not inviting; in fact, they purpose of the bat is to ward off unwelcomed threats. Therefore, there’s some irony that comes to play with the title Entryways because though the title seems to describe a welcoming entrance, the art piece tells the audience not everybody is welcomed to enter through the entryway. The impact of this irony is that it makes the audience really think about the concept of entryways. People who have the privilege of living in a safe neighborhood take for granted that they don’t have to worry about intruders or threats. This sentiment is shared with the word “Entryways.” People automatically assume nothing of the word “Entryways,” but they fail to realize that many people must take heavy precautions behind the entryway as a means of protecting themselves and their family. The use of irony again helps audiences check their privilege, and hopefully it evokes empathy that will drive people to actively improve systems that prevent all communities from experiencing violent environments.
In conclusion, Stingily successfully utilizes ethos and irony in attempts to inform her audience of how Black communities experiencing systemic violence have adapted to their environment. Having learned about other people’s struggles, it would influence an audience to be more aware of their own privilege. When communicating to individuals who have grown up in a violent environment, those who haven’t lived in a violent environment shouldn’t invalidate the experiences of others just because they never had to experience it. Apart from being more understanding, people who have the luxury of living in a safe environment may even feel a greater need to contribute to a cause that will reduce public exposure to violence.