Ytasha L. Womack's Blog, page 7
March 12, 2014
Book of the Day DC
Afrofuturism is Book of the Day for the DC Library System. On March 12, 2014 DC Public Library System hailed Afrofuturism as “Book of the Day.” If you’re in the DC area, be sure to stop by the libraries in the link below to read Afrofuturism.
February 26, 2014
Astroblackness Conference Co Creator, Adilifu Nama Speaks
Adilifu Nama is a Loyola Marymount Professor, author and organizer of the Astroblackness Conference in Los Angeles, Feb 12-13, 2014. He organized the affair with professor/artist John Jennings.
Ytasha: Why did you create the Astroblackness Conference?
Adilifu: I couldn’t really find any type of official gathering that dealt with Afrofuturism beyond a strictly theoretical position. Some dealt with it as artist but not in an academic way. Then most of the events were on the east coast and the northeast. The last one I knew on the west coast was Black to the Future which was 15 years ago. Within that framework, I thought it would be nice to get these folk who are dealing with Afrofuturism, or are at the margins of what blackness is; this group needs to deal with itself and its ideas internally before someone comes and defines it for this group. And I say this as a person who is included in the Afrofuturist family. It surprised me that academics would site me as an Afrofuturist from my book Black Space: Imagining Race in Science Fiction Film and Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes. People began to link my name with Afrofuturism. I don’t have a problem with that. But I wondered if I can be so easily included, then the boundaries of that aesthetic are very porous and loose. But a way to define it more distinctly is to bring in artists, writers and scholars. Let’s bring this group together and see what happens.
Ytasha: What was the significance of having a conference like this in Los Angeles? To me, it seemed symbolic.
Adilifu: It has the potential to be quite significant. If there is a place that can offer an alternative to blackness, I would think the left coast, particularly Los Angeles being this dream factory, La La land could be it. Specifically since California is seen as an imaginary place where people can reimagine themselves and have this dream life. When we talk about dreams, imagination and fantasy, certainly Afrofuturism dovetails through all of that. There is a good match between the elements of the field and the popular construction of California and Los Angeles specifically.
Ytasha: How so?
Adilifu: The whole film industry which is an imaginative industry into itself, for one. We have these iconic, symbolic reference points for Los Angeles as a reimagining of possibility. Within the Astroblackness, we had people who were in the industry. It’s ironic how difficult it is for an industry that is based on all things imaginative but has a difficulty imaging black people.
Ytasha: How did the term “Astroblackness” unfold?
Adilifu: I recently told John let’s do one titled Afrofuturism. John Jennings, the tactful person that he is said it’s too much on the nose. I went back, maybe some insights were beamed down from Saturn and I said what would be the next iteration of blackness? Astroblackness. All of those futuristic things that astro signifies, it’s a modernist twist on what the future would be. For me coming out of science fiction, it was a good prefix for blackness. I came back with that title and John said that’s it. Then he came back on me and he said Sun Ra, that’s one of his songs. So that’s the story of Astroblackness
Ytasha: What were some of your greatest insights from the conference?
Adilifu: For me it was the synergy that was most important for me. The narrative that I use to talk about Astroblackness and how that came about, for example. John pushed me further. When I had Astroblackness, then he came up with the tag the “Universe is in our Voice.” That’s articulated from Sun Ra. It’s through that exchange that the graphic art work was created. That became a calling card. For me, it was that process that I was looking to catch on, too. So when I saw the interaction between Dr. Scot Brown and Gabriel Solis for the [music] panel you moderated, I don’t think they ever talked prior to the panel. But being in that space there was an interaction between them that took jazz and funk to another register as well as your moderation. That’s an interaction that’s something that needs to continue. That helps to fortify the field. It helps to fortify Afrofuturism, Astroblackness.
Ytasha: Why is this synergy important?
Adilifu: I want people to come out from behind the digital mask and come out from behind the digital cloak and reassert their material self in the world of ideas. Let’s deal with those tensions in a more sincere and upfront way. At the end of the day, we are black folk. We are African Americans, black folk in America have had to always reconstruct community because community has always been attacked or subverted. There has been a way for the internet to reconnect community, but it can be problematic as well. We come out of our digital shells and we see what we can do here and now, face to face with an opportunity to expand on those 140 characters.
So that was the challenge; for people who say they sound good on Facebook, and now you’re in front of your peers and you have to engage questions and ideas. I see Astroblackness as a stage to see if the wizard can really perform wizardry. I felt this was a proving ground to show those who can, and those who need to go back and work on that some more.
I’m very much about real cats into real things. That’s a jazz aesthetic. You can’t come into a jam session that’s open and you put up some weak phrasing and real corny riffs. They might take your instrument from you. You can’t go to a mike in a cipher and you can’t rhyme; dudes might beat you up. That’s the realness. We have a history of being very serious about our aesthetic. If you’re not serious and up to it we’re about letting you know it for your own good. The aesthetic is one of show and prove.
Ytasha: What insights did you gain from the panels?
Adilifu: The panel I moderated (Milestone, Graphic Novels, Animation & Afrofuturism) stood out to me for their honesty around race in Hollywood and trying to get creative projects out there. They were very candid. One of my favorite panels was the funk and jazz panel that you moderated (with Scot Brown of UCLA and Gabriel Solis of U of I). What stood out to me was the range of knowledge and the way in which dance and how people who respond to the music and how they engage with the space of the music for the dancers to do their thing. The space of being, that’s the whole backdrop for the Afrofuturist. To define that space to create something is what Astroblackness is.
February 20, 2014
Strange Horizons Reviews “Afrofuturism”
Writer Sofia Samatar reviews Afrofuturism for Strange Horizons. “Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture provides a lively introduction to an important black aesthetic.” Read this fascinating review here.
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2014/02/afrofuturism_th.shtml
February 18, 2014
Bitch Media: Black Women and Afrofuturism in Music
Bitch Media is a leading feminist outlet. Recently the publication discussed how women in pop are carrying the mantle of Afrofuturism. Some of the artist discussed in the article include Janelle Monae, THEESatisfaction, and Ebony Bones. Check out the article on Bitch Media here:
Bitch Media: Black Women and Afrofutuirsm in Music
Bitch Media is a leading feminist outlet. Recently the publication discussed how women in pop are carrying the mantle of Afrofuturism. Some of the artist discussed in the article include Janelle Monae, THEESatisfaction, and Ebony Bones. Check out the article on Bitch Media here: http://bitchmagazine.org/article/blac...
February 8, 2014
Finding the Funk Doc- Afrofuturism
VH1 recently aired the documentary called Finding the Funk, which discusses the history of funk music. This is the first music doc that references Afrofuturism and funk as Afofuturism. The film was directed by Nelson George and includes interviews with ?estlove, James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Sly Stone, George Clinton and more! Check out the documentary here: http://www.vh1.com/video/shows/full-e...
February 5, 2014
Afrofuturism Events for Black History Month
February kicked off with Ytasha L. Womack’s Afrofuturism event at Harris Park with African House International in Chicago and Black Comic Book Day in Detroit. But the fun is just beginning. Why not make this year’s Black History month a memorable one. Here are some upcoming events in Afrofuturism
Black Future Month, February
This is Toronto’s first ever Afrofuturism Group Art Exhibition at Daniels Spectrum. The exhibition will run until Feb. 28 and features Afrofutrist artworks from Danilo M. McCallum, Komi Olaf, and Chanel Kennebrew.
https://www.facebook.com/events/379094675570534/
Afrofuturism Films and Discussions, Feb. 3
Goethe-Institut Washington will screen Wanuri Kahiu, Kenyan science fiction short Pumzi and Karen E. Milbourne, curator at the National Museum of African Art moderates a panel discussion. “Afrofuturism: Artists on Three Continents Explore’Black to the Future’ ” will be on display until Feb. 28.
The Black Aquatic and Afrofuturism, Feb. 6
The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York will hosts The Shadows Took Shape Panel Discussion. The event was organized by Jared Richardson, PhD candidate in Art History at Northwestern University, and will feature Alexander G. Weheliye, professor of English and African American Studies at Northwestern University and Los Angeles-based artist Edgar Arceneaux.
http://www.studiomuseum.org/event-calendar/event/the-black-aquatic-and-afrofuturism-2014-02-06
DuSable Museum Gift Shop, Feb. 8
Author William Hayashi will be at the DuSable Museum Gift Shop, 740 E. 56th Place from 1- 4 pm and autographing copies of his books Discovery and Conception.
William Hayashi Scheduled to be at the DuSable Museum Gift Shop February 8, 2014
The Museum is also the site for Black Comic Book Day hosted by Turtel Onli 1-4pm. Get autographed copies from the works of Onli Studios. Third Coast Comics provides diverse comics as well. Onli will also conduct a workshop on bringing Graphic Novels to the Class Room.
http://www.blackageofcomics.com/
AstroBlackness Conference, Feb. 12-13th
Come join a league of Afrofuturists as they discuss the latest in the flourishing genre and movement. Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles hosts the AstroBlackness Conference. Ytasha L. Womack, author of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi & Fantasy Culture hosts the music panel. Award-winning SF writers Nalo Hopskinson, Tananarive Due and Nnedi Okorafor are panelists for the The Black Imagination and Afrofuturisn: Issues and Ideas of an Aesthetic workshop. John Jennings, professor/artist at SUNY Buffalo moderates as well.
http://iafrofuturism.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/astroblackness-conference-feb-12-13th/
February 3, 2014
Afrofuturism author and SF legend
Author Ytasha L. Womack and legendary SF writer Samuel Delaney at the University of Chicago, Jan. 31. Delaney is a fan of the book Afrofuturism, too!
Afrofuturism Tops Locus Magazine List
Great news sci fi lovers and book readers - Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi Fantasy and Culture is featured on Locus Magazine‘s Recommended Reading List in their February 2014 issue. Ytasha L. Womack is listed among other notable authors in the magazine. The list is a collection of some of the most thought provoking literary works of this past year. Check out the rest of selections here http://www.locusmag.com/Magazine/2014/02/2013-locus-recommended-reading-list/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
January 27, 2014
Afrofuturism Talk at Harris Park in Chicago, Feb.1
Looking to learn about Afrofuturism? Come join Ytasha L. Womack as she talks about her book Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi & Fantasy Culture Sat, Feb. 1 at Harris Park, 6220 S. Drexel, 2-4 pm. Learn about Chicago’s Afrofuturism journey, new artists, and the role of Afrofuturism in bridging the future and the past. The exciting event includes a viewing of Kerry James Marshall’s Afrofuturist work Preserving the Culture. The event will be held at Harris Park, 6220 S. Drexel, 2-4 pm. Sponsored by Africa House International. The book will be available for purchase onsite.
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