Black Earth Rising

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A vibrant contemporary art anthology that explores the complex ties between race, climate crisis and colonialism by 100 leading artists of African diasporic, Latin American and Native American identity

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Black Earth Rising presents works by artists of African diasporic, Latin American and Native American identity that address vital questions of land, presence, climate crisis, and social and environmental justice against the historical backdrop of European settlement of the New World. Supported by an exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art curated by the author, this timely publication invites us to trace and make the connections between race, the climate crisis and colonialism.

Works by 100 contemporary artists are presented in three thematic sections: Reckoning, Reimagining and Reclaiming. Complex and intertwined concepts are explored: forced migration and slavery, the environmental consequences of colonialism, the occupation of Native lands, the urban plight of Black and Brown communities, and how cultural practices and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples can change our perspectives of the natural world.

Compelling and thought-provoking, Black Earth Rising presents a discourse around climate change that situates the voices of people of colour at the active centre rather than on the passive periphery and expands our understanding of aesthetic perspectives on climate change through artworks that reach to the poetic and lyrical rather than the didactic.

Learn more about the exhibition at artbma.org
Extent: 240 pp
Format: Hardback
Illustrations: 235
Publication date: 2025-05-15
Size: 30.8 x 24.5 cm
ISBN: 9780500028780

Press Reviews

An important volume that is as intriguing as it is necessary
Amateur Photographer

Explores intersections between slavery and forced migration, the environmental consequences of colonialism, socio-political injustices experienced by urban Black and Brown communities, and the violent occupation of Native lands—all through the lens of learning from Indigenous knowledge systems and a wide range of cultural practices to consider more carefully how we view and interact with the natural world
Colossal

A timely anthology that powerfully reframes the discourse around the climate crisis by centering the voices and experiences of artists from African diasporic, Latin American, and Native American communities. More than an art book, it is a compelling exploration of the intertwined legacies of race, colonialism, and environmental justice, challenging conventional narratives and offering profound new perspectives… An essential read for anyone seeking a more comprehensive and equitable understanding of the climate crisis, asserting that true environmental justice cannot be achieved without confronting the legacies of colonialism and racial inequality. It stands as a powerful testament to the insight and resilience of artists of color in articulating a more just and sustainable future
QBR/The Black Book Review


About the Authors

Ekow Eshun is a writer, curator, journalist and broadcaster based in London, whose writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, the Financial Times, the Guardian and Vogue. Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, from 2005 to 2010, and a frequent contributor to BBC radio and television programmes, his previous books include The Strangers: Five Black Men and the Worlds That Made Them, published in 2024, and In the Black Fantastic, published in 2022.

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