Creating Their Own Image: The History of African-American Women Artists by Farrington, Lisa E.(December 30, 2004) Hardcover

by Lisa E. Farrington

"Creating Their Own Image marks the first comprehensive history of African-American women artists, from slavery to the present day." "Using an analysis of stereotypes of Africans and African Americans in Western art and culture as a springboard, Lisa Farrington here richly details hundreds of important works - many of which deliberately challenge these same identity myths, of the carnal Jezebel, the asexual Mammy, the imperious Matriarch - in crafting a portrait of artistic creativity unprecedented in its scope and ambition." Weaving together an expansive collection of artists, styles, and periods, Farrington argues that for centuries African-American women artists have created an alternative vision of how women of color can, are, and might be represented in American culture. From utilitarian objects such as quilts and baskets to a wide array of fine arts, Creating Their Own Image serves up evidence of the fundamental human need to convey one's life, one's emotions, one's experiences, on a canvas of one's own making.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Feminism, Womens

Unknown Binding

First published December 30, 2004

Reviews

[Trinity Casey]

No review, this was for class. I loved learning a more diverse art history that we don't usually get to see in general surveys.

[Bettina Judd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential primer for a history of U.S. Black women visual artists.

[Atrey D.]

Great book. Learned a lot about African-American history and helped me understand how events in the past affect events we see in the news today.