For the catalogue of the exhibition Proper Love, featuring works by Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo at the Belvedere in Vienna, I contributed an essay titled: “Style Narratives of Black Self-Empowerment. On the Significance of Clothing in Amoako Boafo’s Portraits.” In this I explore how clothing functions as a powerful tool of Black self-empowerment in Boafo’s portraiture. Through detailed analysis of specific works, it shows how style—especially as constructed by the artist—is used to tell stories of identity, resistance, and dignity. Drawing on historical and theoretical references, my essay links Boafo’s contemporary practice to a broader history of fashion as a medium of self-representation within Black communities, from the Haitian Revolution to W.E.B. Du Bois and African studio photography. Ultimately, I argues that Boafo’s focus on clothing and styling reclaims visual space for Black subjectivity and challenges dominant, racialized narratives.
More information about the publication and exhibition here.