Irvin Weathersby takes the reader on a journey to various places in the United States and questions the appropriateness of various works of public art. From statues of Confederates to the faces of four presidents on a sacred mountain, Weathersby asks the reader to search their own souls on how racial trauma impacts our country. I appreciate his thoughtful commentary, but I was hoping there would more to the discussion. The majority of the book focused solely on New Orleans, which is the author's hometown with a few other places mentioned.

In Open Contempt is a reckoning with art, public monuments, and white supremacy. I love the concept of the book and found it to be a very ambitious and thoughtful debut. For the most part Weathersby was successful in exploring what it means to make art and carve out space to commemorate in the face of America’s racist past. There are sections that rely too heavily on memoir and lose track of the art and cultural criticism. Those parts felt the weakest, not because Weathersby doesn’t have a personal story to tell, but because the focus is immediately blurred when he turns the pen on himself.

This was really thought provoking. I enjoyed the different places the author profiled. I think this would be a great book for most public library collections.

In Open Contempt is an amazing book. As an art historian, I loved the author’s exploration of physical spaces and material objects that reveal institutional racism, white supremacy, and prejudice, both subtle and overt. Irvin Weathersby investigates his personal history—the places he has lived, worked, visited—and our collective history as Americans and human beings; the result is a fascinating study that I hope becomes widely read. I loved reading about his travels through plantations and past monuments, asking questions and engaging in thoughtful dialogue—and I felt as if I was exploring and learning with him. As an educator, I cannot recommend this book more highly. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.