FUKIN TALENTED: BUM CHIN HEN

bum chin hen bum chin hen

Maria Monteiro is a 3rd Year student at Arts University Bournemouth studying Fashion Communication, her zine, Bum Chin Hen, focuses on the damaging stereotypes black woman deal with regarding their looks and background.

How did the idea for your zine come about?

Maria: My project idea came from all the things that inspire me, colour, shape, black culture and history. Also artists of all different forms such as musicians, painters, illustrators, photographers etc. In terms of colour and shapes, primary colours are my favourite things to work with and I have used it as a base for my project.

What is your background? Tell us more about yourself.

M: I was born in Portugal and moved to the UK when I was about 7. My parents are originally from Guinea-Bissau (West Africa). I’ve never really been in touch wih my African roots which is why I wanted to focus on black culture in my project. Surprisingly, whilst being African I’ve been more inspired by Carribean culture just because I love how fashion and music come together, two important things to me. However, I’m also interested in black hair so I like researching African hair styles in different tribes, what they mean and how to do it.

What is the message behind your zine, what are you trying to challenge with it?

M: The message behind my project is to embrace black stereotypes. Yes, most black people have bigger lips and a bigger nose, which in society can be seen as ugly features to have. This is completley wrong, especially for little black girls growing up in this society. I want little black girls to love their nose, love their skin complextion and their lips.

What stereotypes/adversities do the black community face?

M: A lot of stereotypes that I see are predominantly that black girls can be ‘loud’, ‘uneducated’, ‘ghetto’ and ‘ratchet’. I could go on, of course noth everyone thinks that but if you think it doesn’t happen you’re part of the problem as to why these stereotypes are still here and haven’t been eradicated.

What do you want to change with your zine?

I’m hoping for black girls to see my work as art and see themselves as a work of art. We’re all beautiful in our own ways and we need to start owning our features whether it’s a big bum, big nose or big lips. OWN IT!!

What message would you give to a young black person that may be feeling discrimination/adversity?

The only advice I can really give to a young black person is just be yourself, everyone’s always going to find something wrong with you. Embrace what/who you are, your race, colour. All races need to come together to make sure that discrimination isn’t a thing that will still impact minorities, whether race, class, looks etc.

BIG BUM BIG LIPS OR BIG NOSE OWN IT!!!!!

TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTS TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTS TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTS

A CHECKLIST OF WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS A HUMAN WHO IDENTIFIES AS WORKING-CLASS, WHILST NEGOTIATING ART FUCKERIES AND A SYSTEMATIC PRIVILEGE. BY MADANI YONIS

P H O TOGRAP H Y : S A M R U S H T O N

smoke some fags and play some pool pretend you never went to school but still youíll never get it right cos when youíre laying there at night watching roaches climb the wall if you called your dad he could stop it all smoke some fags and play some pool. pretend you never went to school. but still you’ll never get it right. cos when you’re laying there at night .watching roaches climb the wall. if you called your dad. he could stop it all.