Afro-Modern: Journeys through the Black Atlantic
In this comprehensive book, published to coincide with a groundbreaking Tate exhibition, leading scholars examine how “the Black Atlantic,” a key concept in post-colonial studies coined by British academic Paul Gilroy in 1993, applies to art, and in doing so confirms the centrality of artists of African descent to the formation of modernity. Topics explored include the early 20th-century Parisian avant-garde; the Harlem Renaissance; the cultural links between Africa and Brazil; contemporary...
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In this comprehensive book, published to coincide with a groundbreaking Tate exhibition, leading scholars examine how “the Black Atlantic,” a key concept in post-colonial studies coined by British academic Paul Gilroy in 1993, applies to art, and in doing so confirms the centrality of artists of African descent to the formation of modernity. Topics explored include the early 20th-century Parisian avant-garde; the Harlem Renaissance; the cultural links between Africa and Brazil; contemporary and “post-black” art; and the way Paul Gilroy’s original concept of the Black Atlantic remains relevant to current discussions of migration and exploitation. The book includes works by leading artists from throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.
\ Library JournalThe Atlantic Ocean has played a critical role in the history of Africa and the Americas, with historical developments and cultural influences flowing in both directions for centuries. Those routes have seen some of the worst abuses in human existence, yet have also stimulated the cultures of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. This catalog, which accompanies a 2010 exhibition at Tate Liverpool, features 20th- and 21st-century works of art addressing these transatlantic developments. Barson (curator, international art, Tate Modern) and Gorschlüter (head of exhibitions & displays, Tate Liverpool) compile essays in which scholars discuss various issues raised by the exhibit's theme. The remainder of the book is dedicated to the individual art objects, including sculptures, paintings, drawings, and assemblages from Africa, Brazil, and Haiti. The works directly addressing the Atlantic slave-trade horrors are among the most affective. VERDICT The unusual and stimulating perspective makes this catalog essential for readers with an interest in African American art or history.—Eugene C. Burt, Seattle\ \
