I Am Black: Translations

I Am Black: Translations is an exhibition and book project about what you mean when you say “ I am Black”. We say it to ourselves and we say it to others, but when it comes time to define what it means, we often have to pause and really think about it because it means something different to almost everyone who has ever referred to him/herself as such.

Some think that it’s a state of mind, others think that, essentially, it’s just an empty phrase, devoid of any true meaning. So, I am asking you, regardless of your social, cultural or economic background, to please join me in the exploration and documentation of one of the most controversial topics in the United States, and perhaps the world: the notion of what it means when we say “I Am Black”.

To participate in this project, you will need to sit for a portrait, taken in your home and submit your own definition of what you mean when you say “I Am Black.” In exchange for sitting, you will receive a color 10 x 10-inch portrait of yourself as it would appear in the exhibition (see examples below).

If you or someone else you know would like to participate in this project, please contact h. eugene foster at the following e-mail address: heugenefoster@gmail.com