Art Across the Black Diaspora: Visualizing Slavery in America

The academic symposium Art Across the Black Diaspora: Visualizing Slavery in America, presented by Oxford University, is now available as a podcast series. This collection of talks and discussions delves into the complex ways artists within the Black diaspora have represented, interrogated, and memorialized the institution of slavery and its enduring legacy in America. Moving beyond a simple historical survey, the conversations explore how visual culture-from painting and sculpture to contemporary installations-has been a powerful tool for grappling with memory, trauma, resistance, and identity. The episodes feature scholars and thinkers examining specific artworks and broader thematic currents, offering nuanced perspectives on a difficult but essential subject. Listening to this podcast provides access to a rigorous, international dialogue that was previously confined to the symposium hall. It’s an opportunity to hear how academic research in art history and American studies confronts the visual narratives of the past to better understand their resonance in the present. The project reflects a significant collaborative effort, funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and co-organized by the University of Oxford's Rothermere American Institute and Art History Department alongside the University of Nottingham's Department of American and Canadian Studies, with additional support from the Philip Leverhulme Trust. This series is for anyone engaged by the intersection of art, history, and social justice, offering a deep and thoughtful auditory exploration.