Unearthly: The Beauty of Blackness a photo exhibit by Kalila Calame
Join us for the unveiling of photos from Kalila Calame's collection Unearthly: The Beauty of Blackness
March 27th at 7:30pm
Gulick Theatre Lobby, Noble Center
Unearthly (/ˌənˈərTHlē/): To be unnatural or mysterious, especially in a disturbing way.
These words have often been used by oppressive powers to disparage, belittle, and underestimate Black people for centuries. There has always been an extensive history of referring to the Black body as an alien type being, one that should forever be placed at the bottom of racial hierarchies. In this project, Kalila Calame wanted to address the idea of Blackness as alien. She wanted to express that although it is seen as primitive or unnatural to oppressive powers, these various brown hues, kinky hair, and rich culture are a beauty not meant to be analyzed by the white gaze. It is alien because the natural beauty of Blackness is indescribable, never meant to be hidden or made insignificant.
The photographic series will consist of photos both depicting Blackness as otherworldly, while also drawing inspiration from their testimonies. The photos will also draw from afro-futurism concepts to further depict the concept of Blackness as alien.
Kalila earned one of the first awards from the Black Laurentian Initiative's (BLI) Fund for Racial Justice and Social Equity Project. You can learn more about her work and this award here.