The Archival Impulse in Contemporary Black Art

The Getty Research Institute presents “The Archival Impulse in Contemporary Black Art.” Cherise Smith's Michael Ray Charles: A Retrospective is the first in-depth examination of the work of Michael Ray Charles, whose provocative paintings recast images of racism in consumer culture. The book places the artist's work in the context of the 1990s, the rise in collecting of Black "memorabilia," the challenges posed by art censorship, and Pop art among other historical trends. Following a presentation on the book, Smith discusses with Tiffany E. Barber and Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw the ways contemporary artists engage with archival materials within the context of African American art history, as well as its increased institutionalization.