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Artbound Episode: The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto

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Artbound episode "The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto" delves into a new theory of the Black aesthetic in the 21st century. Created in collaboration with the award-winning creative studio Ways and Means, along with artist and filmmaker Martine Syms, the hour-long special examines the tension between conventional channels of media distribution and the Black imagination.

Through a close reading of works by four Southern California artists engaged with problems of representation, the program walks through their artistic and creative processes as well as inspirations. In-depth interviews with novelist Tisa Bryant, musician/producer Delroy Edwards, film programmer Erin Christovale and visual artist Nicole Miller are featured.

Get to know more about the creative individuals showcased in this episode below:

Martine Syms and the 'Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto'

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Artist and filmmaker Martine Syms dropped a bomb on the art world in 2013 when The New Museum's digital art arm Rhizome published her piece, "The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto."


Nicole Miller: Mirror Images and the Power to Create Reality

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As a visual artist working primarily in video, Nicole Miller often explores self-representation. She's not a documentarian, but her films sometimes reflect the lives of ordinary people.


The Hybridized Writings of Tisa Bryant

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Author Tisa Bryant's work and pedagogy center around the fluidity of time, space and the meaning of race. Noted for her book, "Unexplained Presence," Bryant can be counted amongst the thriving community of Afrofuturists in Southern California.


Delroy Edwards: Breathing New Life Into House Music

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For Delroy Edwards, Los Angeles-based musician and producer, dance music isn't just a way to get down, it's a way to connect with the past, present, and future.


Erin Christovale: Creating Narratives With Black Experimental Film

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Archivist and curator Erin Christovale addresses the artistic traditions of Black California, her "Black Radical Imagination" film project and the importance of claiming blackness today.

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