Decolonial Aesthetics Of Blackness In Contemporary Art

Decolonial Aesthetics of Blackness in Contemporary Art

Decolonial aesthetics of Blackness in contemporary art challenge and redefine traditional narratives, offering a profound critique of historical and ongoing injustices. This approach emphasizes the reclamation and celebration of Black cultural identities through innovative artistic expressions that resist colonialist frameworks and oppressive stereotypes. By emphasizing the experiences and perspectives of Black artists, decolonial aesthetics challenge the power structures presented in art history and highlight the significance of autonomy, representation, and authenticity. To advance this dialogue, it is crucial to support and engage with Black artists and their work, ensuring that their voices are amplified, and their contributions are recognized within art discourse. Decolonial Aesthetics of Blackness in Contemporary Art focuses on the generative audio and visual inscription of blackness as an offering of life and beauty in contemporary art. It discusses the concept of blackness related to modernity, decolonial aesthetics, and ontology of black life and beauty. This book covers topics such as decolonization, visual art, and sociology, and is a useful resource for art historians, visual artists, sociologists, academicians, scientists, and researchers.

Decolonial Aesthetics of Blackness in Contemporary Art

Gendered Aesthetics of Blackness

Explores how Afro-Cuban women's visual art challenges dominant narratives of race, gender, and identity. Gendered Aesthetics of Blackness delves deeply into the visual artistry and activism of Afro-Cuban women in Cuba and the United States. Influential in their communities yet overlooked in the mainstream art world and academic discourse, Harmonia Rosales, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Belkis Ayón, and Susana Pilar practice what Rosita Scerbo calls "Decolonial AfroARTivism." These women use their art to challenge and disrupt dominant narratives, reclaim their identities and cultural heritage, and advocate for social justice. In centering their voices and meticulously analyzing their works, Scerbo not only enriches our understanding of Afro-Cuban visual culture but also pushes the boundaries of research. Groundbreaking in its decolonial approach and form, Gendered Aesthetics of Blackness engages a wide swath of sources and includes two interviews, with Rosales and with curator and popular educator Diarenis Calderon Tartabull.