Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw

This paper offers a critical analysis of two portrait sculptures by Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw that explores posthumanist possibilities in the conception of identity through sculpture. Through a multidisciplinary approach that blends posthumanist theory, art history, and racial studies, the a...

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Main Authors: Armiyaw Sulemana, Jiang Tieli, Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah, Kwame Opoku-Bonsu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Cogent Arts & Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2398352
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author Armiyaw Sulemana
Jiang Tieli
Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah
Kwame Opoku-Bonsu
author_facet Armiyaw Sulemana
Jiang Tieli
Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah
Kwame Opoku-Bonsu
author_sort Armiyaw Sulemana
collection DOAJ
description This paper offers a critical analysis of two portrait sculptures by Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw that explores posthumanist possibilities in the conception of identity through sculpture. Through a multidisciplinary approach that blends posthumanist theory, art history, and racial studies, the article investigates how Sulemana’s sculptures offer new ways of looking at race, body, and identity beyond the historically framed black identities and Blackness. It deconstructs the artist’s claim, to test with posthumanist theories and practices, as well as possibilities that lie within the field. Authors believe that, by merging human and non-human elements, Sulemana complicates existing narratives and hierarchies, and opens up complex means of comprehending and conceiving black representations beyond established binaries. Authors shed light on the impact posthumanist propositions in artistic representation can have in the conception of complex modes of identities that are nuanced, expansive, and inclusive. The study suggests that, Blackness, like present identity constructs, as historically anthropocentric feature can be in future negotiations beyond biologism, cultural and political connotations.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2331-1983
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
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series Cogent Arts & Humanities
spelling doaj-art-c43c4feabe724a0e9afda36be21864cb2024-12-14T07:43:08ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832024-12-0111110.1080/23311983.2024.2398352Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana ArmiyawArmiyaw Sulemana0Jiang Tieli1Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah2Kwame Opoku-Bonsu3Shanghai Academy of Fine Art, Shanghai University, Shanghai, ChinaShanghai Academy of Fine Art, Shanghai University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Industrial Art, Ho Technical University, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Painting and Sculpture, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaThis paper offers a critical analysis of two portrait sculptures by Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw that explores posthumanist possibilities in the conception of identity through sculpture. Through a multidisciplinary approach that blends posthumanist theory, art history, and racial studies, the article investigates how Sulemana’s sculptures offer new ways of looking at race, body, and identity beyond the historically framed black identities and Blackness. It deconstructs the artist’s claim, to test with posthumanist theories and practices, as well as possibilities that lie within the field. Authors believe that, by merging human and non-human elements, Sulemana complicates existing narratives and hierarchies, and opens up complex means of comprehending and conceiving black representations beyond established binaries. Authors shed light on the impact posthumanist propositions in artistic representation can have in the conception of complex modes of identities that are nuanced, expansive, and inclusive. The study suggests that, Blackness, like present identity constructs, as historically anthropocentric feature can be in future negotiations beyond biologism, cultural and political connotations.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2398352Black identityBlack representationposthumanismposthumanist sculpturetechnologytranshumanism
spellingShingle Armiyaw Sulemana
Jiang Tieli
Ebenezer Fiifi Mensah
Kwame Opoku-Bonsu
Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
Cogent Arts & Humanities
Black identity
Black representation
posthumanism
posthumanist sculpture
technology
transhumanism
title Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
title_full Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
title_fullStr Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
title_full_unstemmed Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
title_short Reimagining Blackness through posthumanist sculpture: an analysis of the works of Ghanaian artist, Sulemana Armiyaw
title_sort reimagining blackness through posthumanist sculpture an analysis of the works of ghanaian artist sulemana armiyaw
topic Black identity
Black representation
posthumanism
posthumanist sculpture
technology
transhumanism
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2398352
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