A Site of Struggle: American Art against Anti-Black Violence

To examine how artists have addressed anti-Black violence and its representations from the late nineteenth century to the present, A Site of Struggle explores diverse works of art and ephemera. It highlights the perspectives of African American cultural producers and examines how art has been used to protest, process, mourn, and memorialize this violence. The essays offer new perspectives from established and emerging scholars.

Format: Hardback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 26 April 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

From the depths of slavery and lynching to the violent suppression of civil rights struggles and the recent acts of police brutality, the targeted violence against Black lives has been a haunting reality in American history. The images of African American suffering and death have etched themselves into the nation's cultural landscape, prompting artists to continuously explore creative responses to these distressing realities. A Site of Struggle delves into the profound examination of how artists have grappled with anti-Black violence and its representations spanning from the late nineteenth century to the present.

By foregrounding the perspectives of African American cultural producers, this book addresses three central inquiries: How have graphic portrayals of violence been enlisted to protest atrocities such as lynchings? How have artists employed conceptual strategies and varying degrees of abstraction to avoid literal representations of violence? And how do artists explore violence through subtler engagements with the Black body?

Through its comprehensive exploration, A Site of Struggle sheds light on the pervasive nature and profound impact of anti-Black violence. It examines how art has been utilized as a powerful tool to protest, process, mourn, and memorialize this violence. Moreover, the book provides valuable historical context for contemporary debates surrounding its representation. The essays included in this volume offer fresh perspectives from established and emerging scholars working in the fields of African American studies, art history, communications, and history.

In conclusion, A Site of Struggle serves as a vital contribution to our understanding of the complex and multifaceted issue of anti-Black violence. By delving into the artistic responses to this violence, the book offers a profound exploration of the human experience and the power of art to shape our collective memory and understanding of history.

Weight: 982g
Dimension: 238 x 289 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691209272