Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary Art
Black Male featured works that varied in their methods of engagement with stereotypes and falsities of black masculinity that have saturated popular culture for centuries. By placing the works of diverse artists in conversation with each other, Golden sought to emphasize the ways in which American culture has been profoundly enriched and transformed by the voices of African-American art and culture—voices that have long been unnecessarily silenced, ignored, and constrained by stereotypes. The exhibition illustrated the tradition of stereotype and caricature visible in the production of mass culture that has characterized the representation of the black male in modern times. Art historian Huey Copeland stated that the exhibition was not about offering a mirror or image of black masculinity, but providing a context to comprehend how a black male might be produced visually, and the many ways that one might work through that visual production.