Black Ancient Futures

Moving beyond the at-times-exoticising “Afrofuturism” trend that defined the 2010s, the Black Ancient Futures exhibition for which this book serves as catalogue and accompaniment brings together 11 avant-garde artists of the African diaspora. Pinharanda’s introductory text memorably evokes the “spirit of Gondwana” – the ancient supercontinent that was slowly separated into the land masses we know as the continents today – as a way of thinking about the diaspora and African creative influence on the rest of the world. It is followed by beautifully photographed views of the works on show by the featured artists, who share a multidimensional and installation-driven approach to art-making. Many also work innovatively with textiles of various kinds; highlights include April Bey’s gorgeous sewn collages and Sandra Mujinga’s woven sculptures. In short, if you’re looking to explore some of the diaspora’s most boundary-pushing art, this is the book to check out as soon as possible.