What threads bind and entangle representations of Black Women?

Based on Black Women who have been globally exposed in the world of entertainment, the research workshop aims to expose stereotypical representations that foster a homogeneous understanding of these people's bodies. The theoretical basis begins with a reflection on European identity, showcasing the spread of world exhibitions (e.g., the Portuguese Colonial Exhibition, Portugal, 1934) and ministerial exhibitions, supported by the literature, film, and photography industries. The exhibition of people who are part of a visual/artistic/musical culture, such as Josephine Baker and Carmen Miranda, among others, contributed to an idea of the Black Woman's body. The dialogue between these characters and contemporary (21st-century) characters encourages analysis and reflection on how artistic intelligence and arts education can be a tool for untangling the threads. Threads that sustain discrimination and prejudice (exclusion; distancing; systemic and structural violence), stereotypes (exoticism; infantilisation; bestialisation) and the continuous objectification of these bodies in the collective imagination. 

The analysis of these historical and media figures allows us to trace a continuity, thus highlighting how certain visual tools have changed over time. This dialogue reveals how the construction of the Black Woman's body remains tied to colonial and Eurocentric logics, sustained by a system that discriminates, excludes, and violates. Education, in this context, must assert itself as critical, capable of questioning stereotypes, destabilising these narratives and opening space for new interpretations and for the emancipation of Black Women's bodies.

In a qualitative methodology of active listening, participants are proposed to be divided into small groups. The purpose of this action is to facilitate relationships and contribute to the discussion on how to reflect on and restore the identities of Black Women through visual representation. The experiences to be lived are an opportunity to recognise the diversity of existence, contributing to anti-discriminatory, anti-colonial action in the struggle for freedom. As Angela Davies emphasised: “Freedom is a constant struggle.” During the research workshop, participants will engage in the following activities: 1. Active listening – do we know how to listen? 2. Active memory – which black women have had a significant impact on our personal lives? 3. Active looking – what do we see and what do we not see in images? 4. Active making – redesigning “puppets”. 5. Active speaking – giving voice to those who have been silenced with strings. During the activities, researchers are welcome to share their experiences, since the intent is to recognise the importance of constructed knowledge in a community.

At the end of the research workshop, we intend to untangle the threads of previous reflections and share a moment for discussion. With the aim of sharing examples of resistance in the arts and arts education, there will be an opportunity to rethink how Black Women have subverted/rejected these representations and how they propose a divergent perspective. What happens when we untie the threads? What narratives emerge? This workshop activity does not aim to achieve a definitive result, but rather to provide a playful and educational activity that can be replicated in various contexts of anti-discriminatory arts education.

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