Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 2001 | Softcover, 35pp | 20 x 21 cm
A scarce early catalogue documenting the work of Laylah Ali, published on the occasion of her first major exhibitions in the United States. Known for her stark, deceptively simple figures — often referred to as the Greenheads — Ali’s work explores power, violence, race, authority and social control through a visual language that appears almost childlike, yet carries sustained psychological and political weight.
The publication presents a selection of paintings and works on paper alongside critical essays and curatorial texts, capturing a formative moment before Ali’s work entered major museum collections. The images reproduce her iconic flat colour fields, masked figures and ritualised groupings — scenes that oscillate between humour, menace and quiet brutality.
Introduction by Jessica Morgan. Essay by Suzanne Wise. Interview by Rebecca Walker.
Very good condition:Light shelf wear to covers; minor surface scuffs typical of matte black stock. Internally clean, crisp and tightly bound. No inscriptions.
