AfriCOBRA

AfriCOBRA was a Chicago-based group of black artists whose shared aim was to develop their own aesthetic in the visual arts in order to empower black communities

Wadsworth Jarrell Revolutionary 1972. Courtesy Lusenhop Fine Art © Wadsworth Jarrell

The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists (AfriCOBRA) was founded in 1968 by Jeff Donaldson, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Wadsworth Jarrell and Gerald Williams.

Rather than bringing about change through political revolt, these artists used the black identity, its style, attitude and worldview to foster solidarity and self-confidence throughout the African diaspora. It was a revolution of the mind, body and spirit and the art reflected this.

An example of AfriCOBRA art is Jae Jarrell’s Revolutionary Suit 1970 in which the artist is photographed wearing a two-piece matching outfit with an ammunition belt sewn into the jacket.

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

British black arts movement

The British black arts movement was a radical political art movement founded in 1982 inspired by anti-racist discourse and feminist critique, which sought to highlight issues of race and gender and the politics of representation
The black aesthetic

The black aesthetic is a cultural ideology that developed in America alongside the civil rights movement in the 1960s and promoted black separatism in the arts
Diaspora

Diaspora is a term used to describe movements in population from one country to another and is often cited in discussions about identity

AfriCOBRA

related terms and concepts

British black arts movement

The black aesthetic

Diaspora

Sign up to emails