Kirjahaku

A kaleidoscopic survey of black satire in 20th- and 21st-century American art In this groundbreaking study, Richard J. Powell investigates the visual forms of satire produced by black artists in 20th- and 21st-century America. Underscoring the historical use of visual satire as antiracist dissent and introspective critique, Powell argues that it has a distinctly African American lineage. Taking on some of the most controversial works of the past century—in all their complexity, humor, and provocation—Powell raises important questions about the social power of art. Expansive in both historical reach and breadth of media presented, Going There interweaves discussions of such works as the midcentury cartoons of Ollie Harrington, the installations of Kara Walker, the paintings of Robert Colescott, and the movies of Spike Lee. Other artists featured in the book include David Hammons, Arthur Jafa, Beverly McIver, Howardena Pindell, Betye Saar, and Carrie Mae Weems. Thoroughly researched and rich in context, Going There is essential reading in the history of satire, racial politics, and contemporary art.Published in association with the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research

This groundbreaking book explores the visual representations of black culture throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. From blues to rap, from the paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner to the video pieces of Keith Piper and Steve McQueen, it draws on the work of hundreds of artists, including Wifredo Lam, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Martin Puryear, Spike Lee, Adrian Piper, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Chris Ofili and Yinka Shonibare.This new edition provides expanded coverage of film and video, and an additional chapter on the work of artists who have risen to prominence in recent years. Over 180 biographical notes provide a unique reference source.

The African diaspora – a direct result of the transatlantic slave trade and Western colonialism – has generated a wide array of artistic achievements, from blues and reggae, to the paintings of the pioneering African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner and video creations of contemporary hip-hop artists. This book concentrates on how these works, often created during times of major social upheaval and transformation, use black culture both as a subject and as context. From musings on “the souls of black folk” in late nineteenth-century art, to questions of racial and cultural identities in performance, media, and computer-assisted arts in the twenty-first century, this book examines the philosophical and social forces that have shaped a black presence in modern and contemporary visual culture. Now updated, this new edition helps us understand better how the first two decades of the twenty-first century have been a transformative moment in which previous assumptions about race, difference, and identity have been irrevocably altered, with art providing a useful lens through which to think about these compelling issues.With 218 illustrations in colour

How Black painters use color to stir emotion, provoke remembrance, and uplift the spirit Color does more than capture a viewer’s attention. It assaults one’s equilibrium physically and psychologically. In this stunning book, Richard Powell draws on the concept of “colorstruck,” a twentieth-century slang term describing prejudice toward people with darker skin complexions, to provide a new history of Black American art. Powell charts the dynamics of paint and pigment in the works of important Black artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Alma Thomas, Raymond Saunders, Sam Gilliam, Hervé Télémaque, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Nina Chanel Abney, and Henry Taylor. Using blue, green, yellow, orange, black, red, brown, and their combinations, he shows how the vibrant palettes of these artists collide with the undercurrents of race in unanticipated and though-provoking ways. Demonstrating how the term “colorstruck” takes on multiple and varied associations when adapted to painting, Powell shares compelling insights into the powerful chromatic forces manifested through artists’ actions and viewers’ reactions. A landmark work by an acclaimed art historian, this richly illustrated book offers a dazzling look at the transformative use of color by some of today’s most exciting painters, revealing how hue and pigmentation strike a chord for freedom and reclamation in life as well as art. Published in association with the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Drama and Thrills - liberally spiced with Romance and Humor Marcia Thompson is a celebrated dancer in 1920's Melbourne Australia. When her best friend is kidnapped at Flemington racecourse, Marcia receives a ransom demand - the first of several - as other people she loves also fall prey to a very clever extortionist who will stop at nothing to ruin Marcia - financially, physically and emotionally. Marcia is driven to her wits end as the extortionist leads her on a not-so-merry dance around the state of Victoria. For a long time, she has no idea who this person is or why he is persecuting her. Her fianc is Inspector Jack O'Brien who is singled out for special treatment by the extortionist, but through some dogged detective work he manages to break into the extortionist's group of accomplices. He does his best to protect Marcia but when the kidnapper strikes again, Marcia decides enough is enough and circumstances force her to hatch a daring plan that will end in either her death - or freedom.