Imaging Blackness 1915-2002 - Exhibition

A new exhibit at The Grace Museum shines the spotlight on movies and the influence of African-American cinema.

Imaging Blackness, 1915–2002: Film Posters from the Indiana University Black Film Center/Archive includes 43 striking posters from almost a century of independent black cinema. Collectively, these film posters provide a captivating exploration of the development of African-American cinema as it forged a role for black entertainers that countered—or reinforced—prevailing racial stereotypes.

Imaging Blackness features posters that highlight this tradition, beginning with Richard Norman’s films of the early 1900s. Over the next two decades, productions featuring alternative images of black life were more common, and black actors began to gain more “star power.”

The cinematic focus shifted dramatically during the 1970s with the creation of “blaxploitation” films such as Superfly (1972). More recent decades gave rise to powerful movies such as The Color Purple (1985) that resonate with universal themes. Apart from the films they represent, the posters themselves are a study in the development of promotional graphic design.

Imaging Blackness is curated by Audrey T. McCluskey, Ph.D., Associate Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, and former director of the Black Film Center and Archive at the University.

Imaging Blackness is on display in Galleries B and C on The Grace’s second floor. The exhibit is generously sponsored by United Supermarkets, L.L.C., and an anonymous donor.

ADMISSION:
$6 Adults
$4 Senior Citizens, Military & Students with ID cards
$3 Children (4-12)
Free to Members and Children 3 and under
Free every Thursday Evening, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.