Bisa Butler: Portraits

An in-depth exploration of one of America’s most innovative contemporary artists, this volume will serve as a primary resource that both introduces Butler’s work and establishes a scholarly foundation for future research.

Bisa Butler (American, b. 1973) creates vibrant, psychologically nuanced portraits composed entirely of colored and patterned fabrics that she cuts, layers, and stitches together. Often depicting scenes from African American life and history, Butler invites viewers to invest in the lives of the people she represents while simultaneously expanding art-historical narratives about American quiltmaking.

A group of scholars—and the artist herself—situate Butler’s interdisciplinary work within the broader history of textiles, photography, and contemporary art, illuminating the artist’s approach to color, use of African-print fabrics, and wide-ranging sources of inspiration. 

Author(s): Bisa Butler, Jordan Carter, Isabelle Ko, Erica Warren and Michele Wile
Editor: Erica Warren
Page Count:104
Publisher: Yale University Press, The Art Institute of Chicago
Year:2020
Size:  8 × 12 in.