Carl Van Vechten
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New Publication: “Dark Stars” in American Art
Dark Stars: Reinventing Blackness in the Interwar New York – London Circuit Abstract: Carl Van Vechten created a set of portraits of African American entertainers who knew each other through an interracial New York—London circuit during the interwar period. Less studied than the New York—Paris axis, this network offers rich insights for those interested in…
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Performing Black Womanhood Symposium
I will be giving the talk, “I, Too, Am America: Edna Thomas and Black Stardom in Interwar Harlem,” on Friday, April 28th at Cambridge University. The abstract is as follows: This presentation will consider the life and career of the African American actress Edna Thomas (1886-1974). Thomas is best remembered for her role as Lady…
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SAVE THE DATE: Newberry Seminar 10/04!
I will be participating in this year’s American Art and Visual Culture Seminar at the Newberry Library in Chicago on Friday, October 4th. Check it out if you are in the area: https://www.newberry.org/10042019-camara-holloway-association-critical-race-art-history-and-anne-monahan-fashion-institute My paper is entitled, “Dark Stars, Bright Ambitions: Black Celebrity in Jazz Age NY/LON” and I will be sharing more of my…
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New essay published on Afrochic
My piece, “The African Roots of Modern Fashion,” is a part of the lastest Brooklyn Rail Critics Page on art and fashion edited by Alexandra Schwartz. It provides some insight into my current research. Pleased to be in the company of Valerie Steele, Juliet Bellow, Rhonda Garelick, and Saya Woolfalk! I offer up another Afrochic…
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Picturing Americans…Insights come from everywhere!
Last Friday, I had the opportunity to participate in a convo, “Picturing Americans,” about Thomas Hart Benton as part of the opening festivities for “American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood” at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass. Thinking about Benton’s relationship to Hollywood and parallels with my research on Carl Van Vechten revealed…
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Happy New Year!
This is a portrait of the actress Anna May Wong in tuxedo drag taken by Carl Van Vecthen in 1932. This image is the cornerstone of the introduction to Afrochic, the magnum opus that I hope to complete soon. I argue that this type of photographic portrait and its attendant racial dynamics is emblematic of…
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Postcards and Bloomsbury black history walking tour leaflets
Originally posted on Drawing over the Colour Line: Geographies of art and cosmopolitan politics in London, 1919 – 1939: We’ve recently created the first of a series of postcards and maps highlighting some of the artwork and histories which touch upon the themes of Drawing over the Colour Line. The postcard created is a reproduction…
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A perfect vision of Carlo
It was great to finally see this in person. Hide/Seek was a terrific show.
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Mon cher Carlo
A portrait of Carl Van Vechten by E. O. Hoppe. Carlo is a key player in Afrochic. He is a constant challenge and conundrum. Still trying to figure him out…
CAMARA DIA HOLLOWAY 