The North American black artist Nona Faustini has recently developed a remarkable photography project. She staged a series of nude photographs in urban locations across the United States where the traces of slavery are indelible. The resulting images are groundbreaking in articulating the deep intersections of race, gender, sexuality and the widespread and deep traces of post-coloniality. In her own words:
As a time traveler, I’m very invested in the past and our future. I see myself, the people who built this city and country as one. They deserve so much recognition for their sacrifice and contributions, something that is still being denied them. There was a force deep inside of me that needed to pay homage to those who played a pivotal role in the early history of this city, and the spaces in which they existed. I wanted to uncover those places where a tangible link to the past exists. Being a documentarian at heart I wanted you to feel and see those spaces, let your mind wonder. What does a Black body look like today in the place where they sold human beings 250 years ago? No other medium but photography and film could do that.
To further enjoy Nona Faustino’s work access her website
Read her interview at Dodge & Burn and the article at BGLH