CHANGING THE PORTRAYAL OF BLACK FEMALE BODIES IN WESTERN ART: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

This thesis analyzes the creative strategies of African American female artists used to recreate the visual narrative of black female bodies in Western Art. Four artists are examined: Emma Amos, Adrian Piper, Alison Saar, and Simone Leigh. Emma Amos uses acrylics and textiles to address the strategies used by white male artists in the portrayal of black female bodies. Adrian Piper centers her performance piece on stereotypes to question racial stereotypes directed at black women. Alison Saar examines Topsy, a character from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who regains agency from slavery tropes. Simone Leigh interprets Harriet Jacobs autobiographical experience by using utilitarian objects and architecture to contest the ideologies of slavery. The perspectives of these artists are critical to understanding how they view themselves through their own lenses as opposed to those of the dominant white culture, addressing the origins of ideologies surrounding black female bodies. Examination of each artist's work shows that the black women’s lived experiences are not monolithic or stereotypical.