BLACK ARTISTS SHAPING THE WORLD: Picture Book Edition, by Sharna Jackson, Marilyn Esther Chi, Thames & Hudson, Oct. 22, 2024, Hardcover, $16.95 (ages 5 and up)
Black Artists Shaping the World, by Sharna Jackson and Marilyn Esther Chi, includes 14 stories of the lives and works of Black artists.
Featuring full-color reproductions of fourteen artworks and illustrations of the artists at work, this picture book is an ideal introduction to contemporary art for young children, and a fantastic tool for teachers wishing to decolonize and diversify their classroom.
Sharna Jackson’s experience as a children’s author who has worked for over a decade in the cultural sector, both at Tate in London and at Site Gallery in Sheffield, is combined here with the curatorial expertise of Dr. Zoé Whitley, Director of London’s Chisenhale Gallery and co-curator of the landmark Tate exhibition “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power.” Their book features artists working in a variety of media from painting and sculpture to ceramics and installation.
The result is a refreshingly contemporary global celebration of Black artists at work today that will serve as inspiration to a new generation of aspiring young artists.
Illustrated in color throughout. —Synopsis provided by Thames & Hudson
This version of Black Artists Shaping the World has been adapted from the multi-award-winning book for adults. But you’d never know that. The text is a good length and difficulty level for younger children to listen to and older ones to read on their own.
Marilyn Esther Chi’s illustrations are welcoming. These illustrations both stand out from and work in harmony with the actual pieces of art that each artist created.
Backmatter includes a glossary and list of artworks.
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