Reframing the Black Figure

Text by Ekow Eshun

This book introduces readers to the field of Black figuration by highlighting key works from the National Portrait Gallery exhibition The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure.

The selections included in this brief introduction are beautiful, urgent works by 22 contemporary Black figurative artists that present the Black form with nuance and depth. Each artwork illustrated is accompanied by a short biography of the artist and quotes about their own creative process. Their quotes about their own creative process are juxtaposed with excerpts from influential Black writers such as Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois.

This publication offers an opportunity for readers to experience some of the most exciting artworks by Black artists depicting the Black form. Within this context, the book takes on a dual role: as the accomplished work of individual artists on the one hand, and as a collective assertion of Black presence on the other.

• National Portrait Gallery, 2024
• Hardcover, 112 pages
• 7 x 8 inches