Episode 58: Black Art: In the Absence of Light (Movie Night!)
Honestly, this is probably one of the best documentaries either of us have ever watched and it's worth watching many times. Built around the legacy of David Driskell (renowned professor, artist, and curator) and his revolutionary exhibition Two Centuries of Black American Art (1976) this HBO documentary opens audiences to the beauty and reality of what it means to be a Black American Artist.
Join us as we define a Black Aesthetic, contemplate the power of collecting as advocacy, confronting Otherness & Fear in art, and bemoan the absolute lack of Black-centric exhibitions created by black curators.
Things have changed, but we're changing with it.
Donate. Sign petitions. Support Black-owned businesses. Challenge racism. Educate yourselves. Listen. Speak. Repatriate.
Stay Safe. Don't Touch Your Face. Wash Your Hands.
Donate!
Donate to Black Lives Matter LA, the Action Bail Fund, Black Visions Collective. Please be sure you've signed petitions. If you like what we do, you can support BYWAP over on our Patreon!
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You can follow BYWAP on Twitter and Instagram. You can also find us over on our website! We want to hear from you, to share this time with you. We're in this together, and we're better together. Please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Every little bit helps as we grow, and we cannot wait to talk to you all again. This is global. Your voice matters. Systemic change is possible. It will not happen overnight—so keep fighting! We stand with you.
Our music was written and recorded by Elene Kadagidze.
Our cover art was designed by Lindsey Anton-Wood.
Sources:
Ebert G. (2021). ‘Black Art: In the Absence of Light,’ a New Documentary Celebrates the Rich Legacy of Black Art. Retrieved from: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2021/02/black-art-hbo-documentary/
HBO (2021). Black Art: In the Absence of Light - A Curriculum. Retrieved from: https://www.hbo.com/content/dam/hbodata/documentaries/black-art-in-the-absence-of-light/curriculum/hbo-core-curriculum-FINAL.pdf
Brooklyn Museum (1977). Two Centuries of Black American Art. Retrieved from: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/exhibitions/946
The Studio Museum (2011). Spiral: Perspectives on an African-American Art Collective. Retrieved from: https://studiomuseum.org/exhibition/spiral-perspectives-african-american-art-collective
The Studio Museum (n.d.). The Studio Museum in Harlem Digital Archives. Retrieved from: https://studiomuseum.netx.net/portals/studio-museum-archives/#page/home
