Jezebel | Battersea Arts Centre

© Bas De Brouwer

The Jezebel stereotype, discussed in Black feminist scholarship and most notably in Deborah Gray White's book Ar'n't I a Woman?, is one of the many pigeonholes that intersect racism and sexism. 

In her dance performance Jezebel, Cherish Menzo takes the key feature of this stereotype, namely the association of Black women with promiscuity and unquenchable sexual thirst, to critique the hypersexualization of Black women's bodies in hip-hop videos from the 90s and 00s. 

The rigour and self-reliance in Menzo's every moment make for a captivating experience. Her fake white nails, along with close-ups of her mouth painted in a glittered purple lipstick, create striking images that are equally fascinating and haunting. The costumes (Daniel Smedeman), especially a white coat that at moments seems to swallow Menzo whole, draw our attention to her body without objectifying it. 

The visual experience is enhanced by the excellent sound design (Michael Nunes), a muffled grumbling that transforms the Battersea Arts Centre's Council Chamber into a growling cave. When working in tandem with the lighting design (Niels Runderkamp) to create a jerky sequence that resembles a shooting, it delivers the most powerful bit of the show, a highly rhythmic rendition of the banality of violence.

My lack of knowledge about hip-hop videos means I'm in no position to evaluate how much adherence Menzo's rendition has with the resources she's commenting upon. However, hers is an interesting - though at times slightly too dilated - take on the Jezebel's stereotype, and enhances the anger and exhaustion that come with oppression. 

© Greta Rilletti Zaltieri, 2022