Kajahl's New Take on Blackamoor

American artist, Kajahl Bene, turns traditional early modern European art styles that depicts Black people in subservience right on its head. This Blackamoor style is now widely regarded as racist and culturally insensitive because it depicts Black men (usually) as exotic servants.

Kajahl’s oil paintings do the opposite - he takes the historical context and depicts Black people being leaders, thinkers, philosophers, and rightly being productive towards the advancement of humanity. It’s clear that these subjects are definitely not in roles of servitude, but instead, are thriving in leadership roles - both culturally and scientifically.

What do you think about the works below; how do they speak to you?

See more of Kajahl’s work here