Contemporary French Artists of African Descent and the Legacy of Colonialism

This book expands the history of French art to include multicultural perspectives and a reckoning with colonial history, both of which have been suppressed by homogenizing French political and social forces.

This book expands the history of French art to include multicultural perspectives and a reckoning with colonial history, both of which have been suppressed by homogenizing French political and social forces. The creative practices of ten contemporary French artists of African descent are considered through formal analyses as well as their contextualization within personal and art historical accounts. Ghada Amer, Myriam Mihindou, dalila mahdjoub, Ymane Fakhir, Katia Kameli, Moussa Sarr, Tabita Rezaire, Mounir Ayache, Josèfa Ntjam, and Sara Sadik are compared for their creative affinities in both subject and methods. Explorations of archiving, language and text, healing and repair, heroic resilience, refuting stereotypes, futuristic visions, and ecofeminist perspectives are seen in the works of many of them. Collaborative methods of working, “craft” materials, and digital technology are also points in common. The conclusion considers whether their rising visibility in high profile exhibitions may change the monocultural French art scene to one of multiculturalism. This book will appeal to academic and curatorial scholars in the disciplines of art history and cultural studies, especially those interested in feminist, post-colonial, and critical race theories. Its diasporic lens is especially suited to contemporary art analyses that seek a more global perspective.