BLACK SPACE
Afatasi The Artist | San Francisco | USA
In BLACK SPACE, Afatasi The Artist uses various fine art skills and her love of Afrofuturism, to dispel the progressive myth of her hometown of San Francisco, while honoring and highlighting spaces historically held by Black people within the city. SPACE has dual meaning, and features two Afronauts wearing SPACE-suits created by Afatasi. Conical shapes reoccur within both suits, and are inspired by NASA rockets which propelled man to the moon. The helmets - with unique cutouts and special effects lighting, speak to bright lives of black residents, forced to live in the shadows. Three MUNI bus lines are photographed: the 38 Geary, the Third Street Bus, and the 22 Fillmore, which bused black residents to black spaces within the city. Capturing spaces dedicated to black historical figures, as well as historical events, the piece in its entirety speaks to how BLACK SPACE in San Francisco has been minimized, taken; forgotten. Each oppressive system within the institution has created one small step for racism, and one giant leap for white supremacy. Afatasi sews traces of the of the city's black experience together; proving that BLACK SPACE is vital for the future of San Francisco.
Production Credits
Photographed by: Jean Melesaine
Models: Ashley Williams and Latrice McNealy
Costumes & Backing Track: Afatasi The Artist
Technical Details
Photo Slide Show - 3 minutes and 14 seconds
about the artist
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