stan douglas, I'm not gary (1991)

"For example, in almost every analysis or review of Douglas's monodrama I'm not Gary, race becomes the primary interpretive framework: the piece is described with reference to the race of the characters involved and the interpretation follows from this. In these responses, I'm not Gary, is about the erasure of character in discourses of race (for the white man, his interlocutor is simply a black man, interchangeable with any other for example and clearly interchangeable with Gary). While this is a valid interpretation (it is clear that Douglas's work does engage in a critique of racism, imperialism, cultural invisibility), the uniformity of response (and the lack of mention of race in scenes featuring only white characters) is troubling; once interpreted in this way there is, it seems, nothing left to say and the opportunity to engage with the larger issues of subjectivity, identification or alienation is missed." - Lisa Coulthard, Uncanny Memories: Stan Douglas, Subjectivity and Cinema (2008)