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# Reactions to Ryan Wong's Joe Scanlan 'Bombshell'
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/reactions-to-ryan-wong-joe-scanlan-bombshell/
- Published: 2014-06-18T00:17:42.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:44:17.000Z
- Description: The reaction to Ryan Wong's satirical take on Joe Scanlan's Donelle Woolford project have been intense. Let's take a look.
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Opinion, Joe Scanlan, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 07:03 (2014, 2015, part 1)

![Ryan Wong, "Ryan Wong" (2014) (used with permission of the artist)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/ryan-wong-640.jpg)

Ryan Wong, “Ryan Wong” (2014) (used with permission of the artist)

The reaction to [Ryan Wong’s satirical take](https://hyperallergic.com/i-am-joe-scanlan/) on Joe Scanlan’s Donelle Woolford project has been intense. From confusion to anger, from elation to we’re not sure what, I thought I’d sift through some of them from around the internet and put them together for your (and my) convenience — though I admit some of them are hard to categorize.

Many commenters astutely pointed out that Wong’s piece was the ultimate form of “scanlaning” (aka calling out white privilege in the art world, though definitions of what this term actually means differ — *see comments below*). I also want to thank [Ashton Cooper](http://blogs.artinfo.com/artintheair/2014/06/17/joe-scanlan-controversy-rages-on/?ref=hyperallergic.com) of Artinfo for clarifying that the post was a “meta-parody,” particularly since many people didn’t seem to realize that.

Now, let’s take a look.

## Presenting ‘Ryan Wong’

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 8.03.33 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-8-03-33-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/rywo%5F/status/478909189931016192?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## The Confusion

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.00.18 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-00-18-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/motuviget/status/478920115770384384?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.48.59 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-48-59-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/solipsist2/status/478982114579197952?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.01.02 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-01-02-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/pxdelaney/status/478984512022802433?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.04.15 PM 1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-04-15-pm-1.png)](https://twitter.com/eva%5Frecinos/status/478916194578087936?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 8.02.14 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-8-02-14-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/%5FEricHu/status/478944825392521217?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## The Elation

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.13.16 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-13-16-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/%5FNIAnderthal/status/478932647759347712?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.57.31 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-57-31-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/%5Fnalini%5F/status/478999834221740033?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## The Anger

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.41.05 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-41-05-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/stephdogfoot/status/478933288233746432?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.46.14 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-46-14-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/alleyKatsCorner/status/478956092093775873?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen-Shot-2014-06-17-at-7.29222](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-29222.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/ashnjames/posts/10101306326063892)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.55.46 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-55-46-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/%5FEricHu/status/478946274549698561?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.47.00 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-47-00-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/greynotgrey/status/478979847394689024?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.18.12 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-18-12-pm.png)](https://www.facebook.com/hyperallergic/posts/10152463882714812/)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.55.32 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-55-32-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/burn%5Famb/status/478925295471566849?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## We’re not sure

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.54.43 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-54-43-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/aboundlesswomb/status/478956892652191744?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.01.52 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-01-52-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/GronlundMelissa/status/478984348986011648?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen-Shot-2014-06-17-at-7.3133333](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-3133333.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/ashnjames/posts/10101306326063892)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.03.20 PM 1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-03-20-pm-1.png)](https://twitter.com/amywilson/status/478920069909848064?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## The … Wait, Is This a Joke?

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.45.03 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-45-03-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/katierosepipkin/status/478931757354328067?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.08.45 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-08-45-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/AndreaGarVar/status/478952468718821377?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## Who Is ‘Ryan Wong’?

## [](https://twitter.com/allynvspredator/status/478922732810149889?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.17.01 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-17-01-pm.png)](https://www.facebook.com/hyperallergic/posts/10152463882714812/)

## [](https://twitter.com/bernytlm/status/478924306831773696?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.57.01 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-57-01-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/bengrosser/status/479001390220464128?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## And the Assessments

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.43.09 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-43-09-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/sarah%5Fcowan%5F/status/478934179410108416?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.44.24 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-44-24-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/namronnnaeel/status/478969119417856000?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.07.33 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-07-33-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/RealSparklePony/status/478910427909210113?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.15.13 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-15-13-pm.png)](https://www.facebook.com/hyperallergic/posts/10152463882714812?comment%5Fid=10152463887324812&offset=0&total%5Fcomments=16)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 7.05.15 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-05-15-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/eppleyca/status/478914383725473794?ref=hyperallergic.com)

[![Screen Shot 2014-06-17 at 6.59.49 PM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-6-59-49-pm.png)](https://twitter.com/jerdanmartins/status/478920503877320705?ref=hyperallergic.com)

## And Some Really Thoughtful Threads on Facebook

[![Screen-Shot-2014-06-17-at-7.22sssss](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-22sssss.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/christina.springer.796/posts/10152527576286882)

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[![Screen-Shot-2014-06-17-at-7.27fffff](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-27fffff.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/ashnjames/posts/10101306326063892)

[![Screen-Shot-2014-06-17-at-7.25dsddsdd](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2014/06/screen-shot-2014-06-17-at-7-25dsddsdd1.jpg)](https://www.facebook.com/tyrhaynes/posts/10204286898076854)

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