In her exploration of Black queer photographic archives, Alanna Fields (American, b. 1990) aims to transform and reinterpret images from the past. By reconstructing and decontextualizing these historical artifacts, the images surpass a mere sense of nostalgia. The artist’s practice investigates ideas of concealment, fragmentation, and the representation of the Black queer body. Each of her images works to shed light on these marginalized narratives, challenging societal norms and reclaiming the agency of Black queer voices.
In Fields' work, the use of wax takes on profound significance, as it acts as both a medium and metaphor. Its transformative nature blurs the legibility of images, fragmenting and distorting them in a way that mirrors the multifaceted nature of Black queer narratives. The deliberate blurring of boundaries challenges fixed notions of identity and highlights the fluidity and resilience of the Black queer community.
Alanna Fields has presented work at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, New York, NY; and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT, among others. Fields is a Gordon Parks Foundation Scholar and has participated in residencies at Silver Arts Projects and Baxter St. at the Camera Club of New York, NY; Light Work, Syracuse, NY; and Gallery Aferro in Newark, NJ. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Aperture Magazine, FOAM Magazine, and The Atlantic, among others. Fields is a Lecturer of Photography at Howard University, Washington, D.C. The artist holds an MFA from Pratt Institute, New York, NY. The artist was born in Upper Marlboro, MD, and lives and works between New York, NY, and Washington, D.C.