Exhibit Background
What is Black Speculation? I view it as a term that touches on the topic of speculative futures; how the future is imagined from the past. It encompasses alternative realities, as well as alternative aesthetics. It’s also a lens, a way of being, and a way of knowing, according to Ytasha L. Womack’s essay, “Afrofuturism as Space and Being”. Focusing on Black Punk and Afrofuturism as concepts and aesthetics, I wanted this exhibit to showcase the vast interpretations of black identity within the United States in relation to the African diaspora, and how these aesthetics can be utilized as tools for cultural resistance and identity reconstruction. This exhibit bridges the gap between the intangible and tangible, allowing for conversation on what the future of the black identity can look like from our present day.
This exhibit had 4 different sections: a display of photoshoot images from the runway show; a display of photo & art submissions; a projector station (consisting of an interview with James Spooner & a recording of the runway show) and a takeaway table (with Shotgun Seamstress Zines by Osa Atoe & buttons designed by friends)