The last major Euro-centric "post" art movement was the Post-Impressionists, I think.
Oh yeah, and post- modern and post-autonomous count...though not exclusively white.
But in Chicago, and I assume nationally, African American artists are tackling the term: "Post-Black". In Chicago, during the last week I have attended two panels addressing the term. The impetus for these discussions are two exhibitions: "Black Is/Black Ain't" curated by Hamza Walker at the University of Chicago's Renaissance Society and "Disinhibition: Black Art and Blue Humor", curated by Blake Bradford at the Hyde Park Art Center .
The term was coined by Thelma Golden of the Studio Museum in Harlem (Dawoud Bey wrote an extensive tribute you should read) and artist Glenn Ligon.
("A Girl Like Me in Green" construction Joyce Owens)
Here is an excerpt from an interview including what Ligon had to say in 2003 when he was asked about Post-Black.
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
A moment with ... Glenn Ligon, artist
Appearing tonight at 7 at the Seattle Art Museum, New York artist Glenn Ligon follows his friend, Studio Museum of Harlem curator Thelma Golden, who spoke there last week. During her talk, she credited him with the idea of post-black black art, and the sentence, "Post black is the new black," meaning the latest generation of black artists aren't as focused on race as those who preceded them.
Why is post-black the new black? I think I was kidding. At least there's some irony in there somewhere. Thelma's an art historian. She can find profundity where none was intended. I'd say it's her concept, not mine.
So are the endless debates based on a joke? That makes sense to me!
And yes, our state of blackness is complicated. There is no one black man in Africa and there is definitely no one black in the world today. We are all various degrees of African and the admixtures are extensive, so if it is about race, we will all have to get those DNA kits to determine our individual heritages. If it's about identity, then most people know internally where they fit. Walter White, for example, could easily have been "white" but inside he was black.
Until racism is OVER we have to waste time figuring out who is black (I hope everyone knows that Bill Clinton is not the first black president) or black enough or post-black, or not really black at all but not white, Asian or Latino!
I personally think is a conspiracy to keep us divided and in this color debate, therefore preventing us from making meaningful progress.
Like Glenn, I am kind of kidding....
