Time to clean up

From July 20, Somerset House in London presents the group exhibition Black Venus. 18 black women and non-binary artists of various ages will create the multifaceted faces of black femininity through their 40 contemporary, mostly photographic artworks. Aspects such as the age-old heteronomy and fetishization of Black women (bodies) play as much a role as the artists' desire to finally create self-determined images of Black femininity. They attack and rewrite the centuries-old dynamic of objectification.

It is almost impossible to look at current perceptions of black women without looking at their complex history. For this reason, Somerset House is highlighting three historical Black  »Venus« illustrations from the period between 1793 and 1930 that contextualize the view of Black women as well as the caricature of the Black body. Black Venus traces the changing image and life experiences that shaped the artists across generations. The exhibition premiered at Fotografiska in New York in 2022. The Somerset House edition has now been expanded to include over 19 new works that add new perspectives to the themes. In addition, the British venue now features six artists from the United Kingdom. Black Venus is on view through September 24.

Participating artists include Sonia Boyce, Widline Cadet, Shawanda Corbett, Renee Cox, Delphine Diallo, Ayana V. Jackson, Zanele Muholi, Amber Pinkerton, Tabita Rezaire, Coreen Simpson, Lorna Simpson, Ming Smith, Maud Sulter, Kara Walker, Maxine Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, Alberta Whittle, and Carla Williams.