AnnaLeeMcFly

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Meet Eight New Afrofuturism Artists Creating a Future of Color

This stunning gallery on Blavity showcases eight up-and-coming visual artists influenced by Afrofuturism, science fiction that explores the experiences and culture of people of color. They’re amazingly diverse not just in their sci-fi visions, but the media they use to express them. Painting, comics, illustration, mixed-media collage, even masks—there are endless ways to bring the future to life.

This link connects to a gallery of art used to depict various Afrofuturist futures from the points of view of 8 different artists. While the paintings, by virtue of originating from different artists, show the great amount of variance in ideas even between those who claim the Afrofuturist label.  A quote from the description of this gallery that I particularly like read, “They’re amazingly diverse not just in their sci-fi visions, but the media they use to express them. Painting, comics, illustration, mixed-media collage, even masks—there are endless ways to bring the future to life.” I like that this quote seems to not only apply to the works themselves, but more importantly to the realm of Afrofuturism as a whole.  There are indeed endless ways to bring the future to life. Hopefully, with the help of potential futures as imagined by Afrofuturism, these futures might just brighter, and like these paintings more beautiful, than the reality in which we currently live. 

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The Wonderful Afrofuturism of “The Wiz”

http://sevenscribes.com/wonderful-afrofuturism-wiz/

This article by Vann R. Newkirk II explores the concept of Afrofuturism as it is evident in the movie “The Wiz.” Newkirk’s argument explores this reimagining of the “Wizard of Oz” to be an Afrofuturist text due to the fact that in reinterpreting the work, it incorporates themes that are associated with this history of oppression of Black people and other associated events. Specifically, Newkirk cites Michael Jackson’s performance of the scarecrow and the other characters in the film to be ones that evokes these Afrofuturist ideals, as evident when he writes, “Scarecrow, first Hinton Battle’s stage version and then Michael Jackson’s colorful film version, becomes a play on Black hopelessness and oppression while embracing a history of Black showmanship and music. The Tin Man is a story of Black emotion and the Cowardly Lion under Ted Ross’ show-stopping portrayal becomes a commentary on Black masculinity.” By connecting the recast of the traditional roles of the “Wizard of Oz” to Black people with the themes they explore which are specific to issues concerning Black people, “The Wiz” emerges as yet another work of Afrofuturism in popular culture.

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George Clinton, Sun Ra, and the Sci Fi Funk of Afrofuturism

http://artery.wbur.org/2014/03/02/george-clinton-afrofuturism

This article by Mason characterizes some of the key aspects of Afrofuturist music, such as reimagining of the past, or envisioning alternative futures. Through her detailed exploration of the artists whose work she chooses to explore, Mason exposes the tenants of Afrofuturist music, and also the methods for inclusion in such a canon. However, she does exclude artists, such as the topic of my own paper Michael Jackson. Despite this exclusion, Mason’s methods of characterization of Afrofuturist musicians are helpful in finding a way in which to introduce Jackson to the conversation, therefore allowing him to permissibly infiltrate a well-established core of individuals. While articles like this one are somewhat discouraging in hoping to find more scholars that include Jackson in conversations about Afrofuturist musicians, the use of Mason’s form will in defining Afrofuturist musicians will be helpful in my own studies. 

Mason, Amelia. "George Clinton, Sun Ra And The Sci-Fi Funk Of Afrofuturism." The ARTery. NPR Boston, 2 Mar. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.

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“Michael Jackson and Afrofuturism: HIStory’s Adaptation of Past, Present and Future” by Erik Steinskog

This source is one of the few in the realm of Afrofuturism that explicitly links Michael Jackson to the canon of Afrofuturism. What I enjoy most about this article, besides the fact that Steinskog makes a similar argument to my own concerning Jackson and Afrofuturism, is that Steinskog covers a wide range of variations in the ways Afrofuturism can be employed. For instance, Steinskog talks of the way that Jackson both reimagines the past and proposes alternatives for the future though his analysis of his music videos. Steinskog’s analysis of “Scream” is also interesting. Steinskog provides an in-depth analysis of the ways in which both the musical and Afrofuturist elements provide outlets for Jackson’s frustration, which supports my own thesis, but also constructs a different side of Jackson than is normally seen by the public.

Seinskog, Erik. "Michael Jackson and Afrofuturism: HIStory's Adaptation of Past, Present, and Future." The Politics of Adaptation: Media Convergence and Ideology. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2015. 126-40. Print.

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Dark art: the rise of the blackout tattoo

What began as a way of covering up a no-longer wanted tattoo is now being cited as a trend in its own right, prompting thousands of popular Instagram images. But there’s no going back from black

Many of the texts we have discussed in class and other conversation topics we have covered have dealt with issue of skin tone alteration, mostly black to white. These conversations and text have been of particular interest to me, not only due to their relationship to the issues faced by Michael Jackson, (the topic of my paper), but also because of the implications we have discovered through our class explorations.

The trend of “blackout tattoos” discussed in this article and many others recently due to their sharp rise in popularity brings the issues we have explored to mind. While these blackout tattoos certainly don’t envelop people’s entire bodies, their erasure of a person’s actual skin tone calls raises questions about the definition of race and how it is defined. It also exhibits the fact that while stories of racial change in literature appear to be outlandish, there are processes-such as the application of these blackout tattoos- that enable such changes to occur in reality. For anyone discussing racial change in Afrofuturist texts, the popularity of these tattoos might invite some interesting questions when discussing implications of such change and the potential ramifications they have for a person’s identity, or simply the fascination people seem to have with the possibility of changing, or at least greatly altering, the exterior perception of a person’s ethnic/racial background through their skin tone. 

Source: The Guardian

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"Afro-Futurism is the future. The vanguard of Chicago’s hippest African-American talent deliver the street satire and cultural cosmologies of a city on the brink."

In planning a trip to Chicago, I came across this advertisement for a comedy show entitled “Afro-Futurism.” The description of this show explains that this comedic and musical act stars rising African American comedians in a satirical show that provides cultural commentary. For anyone working with sources that might pertain to live performance, this might be helpful for research. Anyone else looking for sources pertaining to comedy in Afro-Futurism might find this to be helpful as well. 

Personally, I wish I could see this show. I think the duality of the show’s title working on two levels (dealing with the future of African American comedians/satirical comedy in reality and the thematic conceptualization of the future with a futuristic theme) creates an interesting double consciousness. I would be curious to know the kind of insight Afrofuturist scholars would bring to the show, or even students such as ourselves that have studied works associated with the concept. Most importantly, I loved finding the information on this show due to the fact that it potentially means this concept of Afrofuturism, which seemed so foreign to us only at the beginning of this semester, is spreading its influence and visibility through popular mediums like this live performance at a popular, well-known comedy establishment in Chicago. 

Source: The Second City- Chicago, IL

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To paraphrase the interview:

Colbert: “You’ve said before it’s not really about the zombie apocalypse-its about the human condition

why are zombies so popular now?”

Danai Gurira: “The term zombie sometimes pertains to societal conditioning...the idea that people lose their consciousness, their minds, and still functioning as human being parallels how people function in society sometimes”

Colbert: “There’s someone watching who just started their senior thesis based on that”

Disclaimer: I know that a good amount of people in our class are working with The Walking Dead, and while I don’t know if this will be particularly helpful, I do think that what Danai shares in this interview could assist in guiding the analysis of zombies as a device generally (Personally, I’m using similar ideas to help with my interpretation of thriller.) There are a good number of sources concerning zombies that explore these ideas in the library!

In this interview, Danai explores the ways in which zombies can be interpreted through their use in pop culture. By exaggerating concepts, such as mindlessness, loss of consciousness, and blind following, zombies become more than just terrifying figures that evoke fear- and instead facilitate discussions of anxieties like these that are present even in our individual-centered modern lives. I think this is important to note, not only as a solid point for discussing the audience’s reception of figures such as zombies, evident through their current popularity, but also in dealing with the figure of the zombie itself and what it means beyond the endless quest for brains. 

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In exploring Michael Jackson’s music videos, the deconstruction of traditional Black masculinity has proven that Afrofuturist elements can assist in the redefining of these stereotypes. However, in moving past my study of Michael Jackson, I have found that this new imaginings of the future are not necessarily guaranteed with the use of Afrofuturist elements. In this music video for E.T., Kanye West asserts instead of attempting to dismantle the preconceived notions that still percolate into the definition of modern Black masculinity. In the lyrics he raps, Kanye reinforces the stereotype of Black, aggressive, almost predatory masculinity especially towards white women. Kanye raps, “Tell me what's next, aliens sex/I'mma disrobe you, than I'mma probe you/ See I abducted you, so I tell ya what to do.” While these sexual advances might seem even appropriate within the context of the song, I feel that Kanye’s Blackness is what ultimately affects his portrayal in the music video. Because these lyrics play into the stereotypes of Black male sexuality, the video almost seeks to protect Katy Perry from this predatory Black male sexuality by completely separating them by what is possibly both time and space. Kanye is seen almost exclusively confined within a spaceship while Katy Perry is allowed to move freely throughout space as an alien. It is an almost normal music video convention for those who duet together to be the lovers within the song’s proposed lyrics, however, Katy instead seeks another lover besides Kanye. Ultimately she finds an albino black man to be in a relationship with- thus showing that only the ultimate in whiteness can counter this Black masculinity in the world of E.T. 

Tbh this video frustrates me once I noticed this. 

Source: Youtube

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What I find most interesting about Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the way in which the Afrofuturist elements (zombies/werewolves/the undead) create a scene that both acknowledges and dismantles ideas and stereotypes concerning Black male sexuality through the use of satire and actions within the storyline of the music video. 

The video weaves between reality, dreams, and the imaginary world within a world as projected in a movie theater. The most interesting aspect concerning the movie that is being watched within the music video, is the fantasy, Afrofuturist element of the werewolf that becomes an expression of the traditional idea of Black aggression and Black male predatory sexuality. This representation occurs due to the fact that as soon as MJ’s character proclaims his love, he becomes the werewolf who seems ready to attack the same girl he cared for moments before. This werewolf stands to parody this idea of Black male predatory sexuality when we see that MJ as a spectator in the apparent reality of the movie theater laughs at the depiction and cares for his girlfriend who is afraid of the monster on screen. Therefore, this use of the werewolf as an Afrofuturist element stands to underscore the ridiculous nature of this definition of Black male sexuality while also assisting in the undoing of this stereotype.  

Source: Youtube

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When viewed as an Afrofuturist work, Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” becomes much more than a warning about the potential destruction of deforestation. With the Afrofuturist element of the presentation of a dystopian future, Michael Jackson begins his music video as seemingly the only man, and thus also the only Black man, left alive on Earth. His lyrics mourn the loss of the former world. Throughout the video, Michael seems to underscore the importance of his Black minority status by aligning his concern for this new dystopian world with the accompaniment of mourning from other indigenous groups and apparent minorities. Not only does this Afrofuturist setting seem to allow space for a Black man to closely ally himself with the well-being of nature (normally a femininely defined entity) but it also seems to align the oppression of nature with the oppression of minority groups, such as Black people like Michael. What is most interesting about this video as it pertains to Afrofuturism is how it allows for even another alternate reality within its presentation of world destruction. By the end of the video, those who have been mourning the Earth, like Michael, seem to have made a powerful impact on the reversal of the apocalyptic destruction through their communion with Earth and each other through their similar feelings about the loss of the earth. Overall, not only does Michael’s use of Afrofuturist elements like that of dystopian/apocalyptic worlds allow for a new envisioning of the future filled almost entirely with minorities like Black people, but also enables the emergence of new ideas concerning Black masculinity, such as the aligning of Black men with concern and communion with nature (and also sustainability in this alternate reality) and their power to restore instead of masculinely destroy. 

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Watch Beyonce's Surprise New Video 'Formation'

Day before Super Bowl 50 halftime appearance, singer debuts first new song in over a year

For all the conversation surrounding this video currently, for me I think the most interesting, powerful way to view Beyoncé’s new video is through the lens of Afrofuturism. With this video, Beyoncé skillfully seems to imagine a future through the reimagination an appropriation of the past, specifically through her use of New Orleans imagery. Her costumes, while couture and therefore forward-looking in nature, are referential to the creole clothing of times past. This blending of the past and present allows Beyoncé to reclaim the racist history of Black people of the South in general and New Orleans in order to create a current imagining of the future that reorients such images to be visualizations of Black, female power. Beyoncé’s claim and ownership of her Blackness through the pride she displays with lyrics like “I like my baby hair with baby hair and afros/ I like my negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils” or “I got hot sauce in my bag” juxtaposed with images that traditionally represent the down-trodden nature of Black people (such as images of submerged New Orleans) represent these new thoughts of the future). 

In another instance, Beyoncé flips the hierarchy of black men and police officers through the imagery of a young boy breakdancing and causing the majority white police force to surrender to him against a backdrop of graffiti that states “Stop shooting us.” This new hierarchy reclaims a Black past of police brutality while simultaneously envisioning a brighter future for young men like the young dancing boy. Even shorter lyrical moments like “I just might be a Black Bill Gates in the making” create a new, Black imagining of the future in which one of the richest people in the world is a Black woman like Beyoncé herself. 

The final image is particularly striking when considered through an Afrofuturist lens. The image of Beyoncé descending into the flooded levee water of New Orleans atop a submerged police car not only subverts police power and therefore also police brutality against Black people throughout history, but also provides the image of Baptism, playing off the religious themes of other images from the video as well. With this Baptism, Beyoncé enables a new birth, a new future, for the pride and power she set forth with her video, therefore not only providing an image of what the future can be, but also hope that it is possible. 

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When many think of comic books the first thing that comes to mind are caped crusaders and spandex-wearing super-heroes. Perhaps, inevitably, these images are of white men (and more rarely, women). It was not until the 1970s that African American superheroes such as Luke Cage, Blade, and others emerged. But as this exciting new collection reveals, these superhero comics are only one small component in a wealth of representations of black characters within comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels over the past century.

The link above is to the partial text of the book “The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art.” While the book does have a focus on Black identity in comics, it also provides useful, general commentary on the perspective of Afrofuturism (with potentially quotable definitions) and references other types of materials as well. In fact, one referenced material is DuBois’s “The Comet.” “The Blacker the Ink” provides a unique section of commentary that discusses DuBois’s short story with regard to more relevant recent events such as Hurricane Katrina. This excerpt also provides insight to topics such as Afrofuturist masculinity, especially in relation to black men in comic books. 

Discusses “The Comet,” brings in new relevant experiences 

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In considering the background of this video (MJ’s frustration with his pedophile allegations), it’s easy to view this as a surface level work, however as seen through the scope of Afrofuturism, the setting of space and the freedom it provides both Janet and MJ assist in creating a world that comments on larger themes than MJ’s frustration with the media. For one, the setting of space provides agency for MJ to be his uniquely odd self as seen through the various rooms of their ship, and for Janet to own her sexuality by performing provocative dance moves presumably for her own expression due to the fact that she is alone in orbit rather than burdened by a male gaze beyond her brother’s since she escaped the “pressures” of Earth. Gender norms are also shed through the identical outfits worn by Janet and MJ and even through their synchronized dance movements that highlight a sort of androgynous element to both performers rather than a particularly feminine or masculine persona. Janet also continues to challenge gender norms through the pantomime of urinating in a standing position like a man. This video also intriguingly trivializes the works of people of earth and particularly those of white artists when Janet and MJ each “flip through channels” of these works and seem unimpressed, thus elevating their own work. Overall, MJ and Janet preserve their blackness even through the new realm of space and black and white photography through the stark contrasts of their largely black clothing throughout the music video; this is perhaps more important for MJ who by this point has a skin tone that is almost completely white. 

Source: Youtube