Economies of Black Culture

Abstract

This essay foregrounds the problem of commercial art in the history of African American art. Despite recent interest in graphic design and the history of capitalism, scholars of African American art tend to diminish commercial art as background context or overlook it entirely. For scholars to reckon fully with the economy, however, they must consider commerce as a critical tradition and dimension of African American art practices. I focus on commercial artist Emmett McBain and public artist William Walker—each associated with the Black Arts Movement—as well as contemporary social practice artist Theaster Gates, to illuminate the commercial dimension of black art and the work of art as a form of commerce.