African American Women in Art and Literature
African American women have made significant contributions to the fields of art and literature throughout history. In recent years, their impact and representation across these creative domains has continued to grow and be recognized. Through diverse mediums and genres, these artists illuminate the Black female experience and provide nuanced perspectives on issues of identity, race, and gender.
Visual artists like Mickalene Thomas and Carrie Mae Weems showcase the Black woman’s perspective through various mediums. Thomas utilizes collage and painting to explore themes of femininity and identity. Her works are included in major museum collections and she had a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 2021 (Walker, 2017). Weems documents the intersection of race, gender, and class through photo series such as “The Kitchen Table Series” from 1990. She was the recipient of a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2019 (Roberts, 2020).
In literature, novels from authors like Brit Bennett and Tressie McMillan Cottom have garnered widespread critical acclaim in recent years. Bennett’s bestselling works “The Mothers” (2016) and “The Vanishing Half” (2020) offer nuanced portraits of Black communities. McMillan Cottom incorporates personal narrative and sociological insight into discussions of race, gender and pop culture in her nonfiction collection “Thick: And Other Essays” from 2019. Poets Claudia Rankine and Evie Shockley also address issues of racial microaggressions and Black hair politics through poetry and multimedia formats (Rankine, 2014; Shockley, 2016).
Scholarly work has elevated the significance of these artists. As discussed by Walker (2017), the mainstream art world now recognizes Mickalene Thomas as “one of the most influential artists of her generation” (p. 45). Roberts (2020) notes Carrie Mae Weems’ photos challenge viewers “to acknowledge the complexities of Black lives” (p. 21).
In conclusion, through diverse creative works African American women continue enriching conversations around identity, while illuminating the intersection of race and gender. Their impact and representation across the arts is growing in recognition.
References
Rankine, C. (2014). Citizen: An American lyric. Minneapolis, MN: Graywolf Press.
Roberts, J. (2020). Photography, memory and the African American experience. History of Photography, 44(1), 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/03087298.2019.1697192
Shockley, E. (2016). “say her name”: Reframing the margins in the wake of police brutality. Callaloo, 39(4), 974-980. https://doi.org/10.1353/cal.2016.0157
Walker, J. (2017). Style and status: Selling African American art. University Press of Mississippi.
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