Published to coincide with an exhibition at Hayward Gallery, London, In the Black Fantastic assembles art and imagery from across the African diaspora that embraces ideas of the mythic and the speculative. Neither Afrofuturism nor Magic Realism, but inhabiting its own universe, In the Black Fantastic brings to life a cultural movement that conjures otherworldly visions out of the everyday Black experience – and beyond – looking at how speculative fictions in Black art and culture are boldly reimagining perspectives on race, gender, identity and the body in the 21st century.

Transcending time, space and genre to span art, design, fashion architecture, film, literature and popular culture from African myth to future fantasies and beyond, this vital, timely and compelling publication is an expressive exploration of Black popular culture at its most wildly imaginative, artistically ambitious and politically urgent.

The book includes an introductory text by Ekow Eshun, and extended essays by Eshun, Kameelah L. Martin and Michelle D. Commander.

In the Black Fantastic is curated by Ekow Eshun and features the artists Nick Cave, Sedrick Chisom, Ellen Gallagher, Hew Locke, Wangechi Mutu, Rashaad Newsome, Chris Ofili, Tabita Rezaire, Cauleen Smith, Lina Iris Viktor and Kara Walker.

HARDBACK Edition

304 pages

25cm x 19.5cm

300 colour illustrations

ISBN: 9780500297124

Design by Rush Jackson Studio.

Co-published by Hayward Gallery Publishing and Thames & Hudson

First published in June 2022

Please note that the paperback edition is no longer available and out of print.

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