Black to the Future: Afrofuturism & Black Sci-Fi
Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu’s 2013-2014 Brooklyn Museum exhibit, “A Fantastic Journey” embodied several tenets of Black futurity. In fact, the placard for Mutu’s A’gave you (2008) described Afrofuturism as, “an aesthetic that uses the imaginative strategies of science fiction to envision alternate realities for Africa and people of African descent.” Using this quote as an entry point, we will analyze afrofuturism’s roots, trends and MVP’s. This Olio will explore the works of seminal afrofuturist novelists Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor and Tananarive Due, examine select movie clips and musical selections from the likes of Sun Ra, George Clinton, Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu, and peruse the art of Renee Cox, Wangechi Mutu and Kara Walker. A resource list will be provided.
Teacher: Makeba Lavan
Focusing on English and Gender Studies, Makeba Lavan is a professor at Fordham University as well as a playwright and activist. She studies Science Fiction and the creation of social contracts in fiction, African-American literature and myth-making.
894 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Tickets $12, full bar available.