Afrofuturism thrives in Philly − 5 artists you should know

From the creation of the Liberty Bell in the 1750s to the world-famous Philadelphia Sound soul music of the 1960s and ’70s, artistic innovation has long been a staple in Philly history. Today, the city’s thriving Afrofuturist scene is continuing this legacy.

“Afrofuturism” is a term coined in the 1990s by American cultural critic Mark Dery. Dery used the label to describe “speculative fiction that treats African American themes and addresses African American concerns in the context of 20th-century techno culture.”

The aesthetic has been popularized over the years by mainstream artists, including cinematic pioneer and “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler and Grammy-winning musical artist Missy Elliott.

Author and filmmaker Ytasha L. Womack powerfully articulated the vastness of Afrofuturism in her 2013 book, “Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture.”

“Call it the power of the subconscious or the predominance of soul culture gone cyber pop,” Womack writes, “but this dance through time travel that Afrofuturists lived for is as much about soul retrieval as it is about jettisoning into the far-off future.”

As an Afrocentric scholar, professor of African American studies, hip-hop artist and scholar of Afrofuturism, I get to see the city’s growing Afrofuturist movement firsthand. I have been inspired by Afrofuturist writers and scholars from sci-fi novelist Octavia Butler to fellow Africology professors at Temple University Reynaldo Anderson and Molefi Kete Asante.

Here are five local Philly artists whose innovative aesthetics and ideas are contributing to the still-emerging field of Afrofuturistic art.

Rasheedah Phillips and Camae Ayewa

Rasheedah Phillips, an artist and housings rights attorney, and Camae Ayewa, a poet and musician who performs as Moor Mother, attended high school in Philadelphia and graduated from the Beasley School of Law at Temple University. In 2015 they founded the Black Quantum Futurism collective, which could be considered the artistic cornerstone of Afrofuturist art in Philadelphia.

This collective hosts various events and creative projects. On their website, Phillips and Ayewa describe their movement as “a new approach to living and experiencing reality by way of the manipulation of space-time in order to see into possible futures.” They blend ideas and beliefs from quantum physics and Black and African cultural traditions of consciousness, time and space.

Although the Black Quantum Futurism website is less active than in previous years, Phillips and Ayewa continue to organize and participate in Afrofuturist events both in Philadelphia and around the world. Phillips has a new book, “Dismantling the Master’s Clock: On Race, Space, and Time,” set for release in early 2025.

Mikel Elam

Though he’s a New York transplant, figure painter and Afrofuturist visual artist Mikel Elam has become an asset to the Afrofuturist art scene in Philadelphia.

“I have a special interest in Africa (which is) considered by many anthropologists to be the origin of all life,” he explains. “In many ways, science, spirituality and art are essential to our cultural and mental development. They are more compatible than we might think.”

In his pieces, Elam often incorporates cultural masks he’s collected from his world travels, as well as shiny metal keys. His work on display at Philadelphia International Airport combines both. The keys are positioned to reflect the flow of people in transit – sometimes they move in harmony and other times in opposite directions. Unapologetically optimistic, Elam also surrounds the heads with keys to suggest halos or auras.

Serena Saunders

Serena Saunders is a mural artist, Philly native and owner and operator of Passion Art Designs LLC. She transforms walls throughout Philly and beyond into futuristic visions of hope, struggle, Black joy and justice.

Her paintings emphasize the potential for a more peaceful and equitable future. Her “Camo” collection includes a painting that displays a map of Africa hovering over an ocean of streaming colors, including elements of the American flag. The continent appears to be dripping blood into the waters below.

A major component of the Afrofuturist arts movement involves reimagining existing symbols relating to Black culture and life. Saunders’ “Heart” collection incorporates elements of transhumanism – the belief that humans should use technology to enhance their minds and bodies – which are common in Afrofuturist art. Images of the precious blood-pumping organ are merged with pipes, a faucet head and even a grenade.

Saunders’ murals cover dozens of walls around the city, including at the Community Clubhouse at FDR Park, the Boys & Girls Club in Germantown, and Philadelphia International Airport.

Sun Ra

One of the greatest avant-garde jazz musicians of the 20th century, Sun Ra is also an Afrofuturist icon who once occupied a modest Philadelphia row home at 5626 Morton St. in Germantown.

Sun Ra led the Sun Ra Arkestra, a jazz group, from the late 1950s until his death in 1993 at age 79. With songs including “Love in Outer Space,” “Door of the Cosmos,” “Saturn” and “UFO,” Sun Ra kept intergalactic reimaginings of life and love at the forefront of his creative expression. From his lavish futuristic outfits to the astrological symbolism “Astro Black,” he remains a meaningful pioneer of Afrofuturist art.

In 2022, the house where he and bandmates lived and rehearsed was designated a historic landmark. Though not open to the public, it serves as a reminder of the creative, resilient spirit that often resides in humble and unassuming environments, and why we can think of Philadelphia, the city known for being the birthplace of the United States, also as the city of tomorrow.

Aaron X. Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.