Charting the Afrofuturist Imaginary in African American Art: The Black Female Fantastic

This book explores Afrofuturism in African American art, focusing on images of black women and expanding representation in visual culture. It defines a visual language of Afrofuturism with materiality, temporality, and black liberation, and discusses the visual progenitors of Afrofuturism through in-depth case studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 152 pages
Publication date: 12 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the captivating realm of Afrofuturism, exploring its profound impact on African American art. With a specific focus on depictions of black women, it expands the discourse of representation in the visual culture of the United States. By defining a visual language of Afrofuturism that encompasses materiality, temporality, and black liberation, the author sheds light on the origins and evolution of this artistic movement. Through in-depth case studies of renowned artists such as Pierre Bennu, Sanford Biggers, Alison Saar, Mequitta Ahuja, Robert Pruitt, Renee Cox, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Alma Thomas, and Harriet Powers, the book unveils the fantastic narratives that underpin Afrofuturism. These case studies engage with Afrofuturism as a black feminist visual theory, seeking to liberate images of black women from the stereotypical visual scripts prevalent in contemporary visual culture. This book appeals to scholars and enthusiasts across art history, visual studies, American literature, gender studies, popular culture, and African American studies, offering a rich and insightful exploration of Afrofuturism's transformative power.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367689063