Contemporary Black Abstraction: Confluence and Resonance

Black abstraction is enjoying a resurgence of interest and elevated prominence. The success of Black abstractionists such as William T. Williams, El Anatsui, Julie Mehretu, Sam Gilliam, MacArthur Binion, and others legitimizes the desire to explore abstract modes of expression by new generations of contemporary Black artists (reversing historical pressures to create figural work about Black life and social issues). These artists create works that are vibrant, original, and sometimes aesthetically derivative. Since 2010 with the launch of Instagram, Black abstract artists are more socially well-connected than ever before, whether working in their studios across America, in Africa, or throughout the Diaspora. They are contributing to numerous creative exchanges and collaborations. Indeed, it may be fair to state that we are experiencing a global Black Renaissance in the arts, fueled in part by social media and the Black Lives Matter movement. (Kendri, 2021) This growing interest in Black abstraction, and Black art in general, raises interesting questions. How does the confluence of diverse abstract aesthetics, with Black artists from various locations, cultures, and artistic lineages exhibiting together and sharing aesthetic influences on Instagram, impact the shape and independent value of contemporary Black abstraction? How does the legacy of the American Black Arts Movement and ‘Black Post-Blackness’ (Crawford, 2017) resonate with contemporary abstractionists in the global art scene? This session welcomes papers that investigate the current state of Black abstraction, the relation between Black abstraction and Black figuration, and the positive synergies among Black abstractionists today.