Viewing In the Black Fantastic

In the Black Fantastic is set to be one of the summer’s biggest hits. Curated by Ekow Eshun, it brings together 11 Black contemporary artists who use fantastical elements such as myth, folklore, science fiction and pageantry to address racial injustice and explore alternative realities.

New works and special commissions will be shown alongside painting, photography, video, sculpture and mixed-media installations. Highlights include Nick Cave’s major new commission comprising hundreds of casts of the artist’s arm, joined together like links in a chain, and a group of his legendary Soundsuits. These wearable works of art were begun over 30 years ago in response to the brutal police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles. A new Soundsuit commemorating the killing of George Floyd will also be shown.

Also worthy of note is Hew Locke’s series of photographic portraits showing the artist masquerading as corrupt kings, tyrants and bandits. Elsewhere you’ll find Kara Walker’s stop-motion animation exploring racial violence and domestic terrorism, and poignant paintings by Chris Ofili.

Coinciding with the exhibition is a rich summer season of events, spanning literature, performance and music, as well as a series of outdoor installations. A parallel programme of film screenings curated by Ekow Eshun will be hosted at the BFI.