‘Black Venus’, curated by Aindrea Emelife and on view at Fotografiska New York, is a cross-generational survey of the Black female body. Through the work of 17 international artists, the show c...
Contrasted with archival depictions of Black women dating back to 1793, the contemporary works – predominantly photography, but also featuring
, mixed media works and film – together create a global survey of the Black female body; its historical ‘othering’, and contemporary empowerment. Courtesy of the artist, David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles and New York and Sikkema Jenkins & Co, New York ‘By visiting the exhibition and exploring the Black female image from the late-1700s until now, viewers are invited to confront the racial and sexual objectification and embodied resistance that make up a significant part of the Black woman’s experience – and to celebrate the current upheaval of this stereotype, at the hands of Black artists,’ says Emelife.
‘Black Venus’ is rooted in the image of the ‘Hottentot Venus’, the assigned stage name of Saartje Baartman . Baartman, enslaved by Dutch colonisers, was paraded around Europe as part of a ‘freak show’ due to her non-Western body type. These images harbour an unsettling reality and are potent reminders of the colonial exploitation, objectification, racism, and commodification endured by Black people.
‘“Black Venus” is a feeling. It is a valiant call to action to be seen and to celebrate in Black women; their aspirations, convictions, contributions and how perceptions of Black womanhood have shifted over time – how agency has been reclaimed,’ says Emelife. ‘This exhibition is a celebration of Black beauty, an investigation into the many faces of Black femininity and the shaping of Black women in the public consciousness – then and now.
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