Jack Whitten

Atopolis: For Édouard Glissant (2014)

Jack Whitten, who unfortunately passed away, started this style of unique collage artwork in the 1980s. In 2014, he created Atopolis: For Édouard Glissant. This was his largest piece to date. It was a 10-by-20-foot textured surface consisting of eight 62-inch square panels. This artwork references the ideas of Édouard Glissant, who died in 2011. Atopolis, in Greek, means "without place." This was a powerful concept for the African diaspora, Whitten wrote in his notes. He spoke about black identity not having a place in society, and he created this place through this artwork. What intrigued me about the artwork is the concept behind it, in which he addressed issues others were afraid to speak about.