NeoHooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith
Description
NeoHooDoo, a term coined in the late 1960s by poet Ishmael Reed, celebrates the rituals, folklore, and spirituality in the Americas beyond the scope of Christianity and other organized religions. The endurance of these centuries-old traditions of magic and healing are the focus of this unique book. Exploring how spirituality influenced artists in the late 20th century and bringing together an intergenerational group of artists from North, Central, and South America, NeoHooDoo reveals the wider implications of ritualized practice in contemporary art. The work of 33 artists, including Jimmie Durham, Regina José Galindo, David Hammons, Ana Mendieta, and Dario Robleto, is accompanied by essays discussing the artistic use of ritual as a form of celebration, catharsis, or political critique.
About the Authors
Franklin Sirmans is curator of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He formerly served as curator of modern and contemporary art at the Menil Collection, where he curated Maurizio Cattelan: Is There Life Before Death? (2010) and authored the accompanying publication.
Jen Budney is a curator, writer, and arts administrator. Her writing has appeared in Flash Art International and Third Text among other publications.
Arthur C. Danto was an analytical philosopher at Colombia University as well as the art critic for the Nation for over 20 years.
Julia P. Herzberg is an art historian, independent curator, and Fulbright Senior Specialist based in New York.
Greg Tate is a writer and musician living in Harlem. His books include Everything But the Burden: What White People Are Taking from Black Culture (2003) and Flyboy in the Buttermilk: Essays on Contemporary America (1992).
Robert Farris Thompson is a professor of African and Afro-American history and master of Timothy Dwight College at Yale University. He’s the author of several books, including the groundbreaking Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art & Philosophy (1983).
Quincy Troupe is the former poet laureate of California and the author of 17 books, including The Architecture of Language (2006) and Miles and Me (2000).