Artworks

These courses, conducted by Janine Francois, explore the interconnectedness of Black life, people, and culture across cosmology, afro-futurism, environmentalism and theory. The course centres Black Queer artists, art workers, writers and theorists from the Global South and North who offer alternative realities to our current social inequities.

09.08.2022 | BLACK QUANTUM FUTURISM

In week one, we will be unpacking what exactly ‘Black Queer Ecology’ is by engaging with crucial writers explored in this course. We will be studying the writings of the Philadelphian collective ‘Black Quantum Futurism’ and the artistic and musical works of Janelle Monae.

16.08.2022 | (WEST) AFRICAN COSMOLOGIES

In week two, we will explore African indigenous knowledge systems and cosmologies via the artistic practice of RotimiFani Kayode. We will understand the interconnectedness of indigenous knowledge to environmental practice and (West) African indigenous conception of gender within the Yoruba tradition, specifically the Orisha.

23.08.2022 | PLEASURE POLITICS

In week three, we will reflect on the impact of HIV/AIDs crisis had on Black Queer life through the documentary ‘Tongues United’ by Marlon Riggs. We reflect on the practice of Ajamu X, whose work centres on the agency of Black gay men’s sensuality and pleasure and is contextualised by Audre Lorde’s seminal essay, ‘Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power’.’

30.08.2022 | ECOLOGIES OF TRANS CARE

In our final week, we will understand ecological care through the lenses of Blackness and Transness in how they offer possible realities beyond an environmental collapse due to white supremacy, capitalism and cis-hetero-patriarchy. A special guest speaker will lead this class.

JANINE FRANCOIS

is a Black British Feminist, curator, writer and educator. They are known for their insightful, critical, piercing perspectives on race and social justice. Janine’s practices deconstructs whiteness (and race) within cultural and academic institutions through writing, curating/ producing, research, teaching and consultancy. Janine is also a PhD candidate at the University of Bedfordshire/ Tate, exploring if Tate can be a safer space to discuss issues of race and cultural differences within a teaching and learning context? Janine’s research is set to complete in October 2022 and is funded by Arts Humanities Research Council. Janine is also 1 of 30 Black Caribbean students funded by AHRC during the periods 2016-to 2019.

ABOUT BLACK BLOSSOMS

The Black Blossoms School of Art and Culture is an intersectional online art school dedicated to documenting and highlighting the art histories and the current creative practices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.

Image credit: Rotimi Fani Kayode 'Adebiyi,' 1989.