Bisa Butler: Portraits

Bisa Butler (b. 1973) is an American artist who creates arresting and psychologically nuanced portraits composed entirely of vibrantly 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 quilt making. Situating her interdisciplinary work within the broader history of textiles, photography, and contemporary art, contributions by a group of scholars—and entries by the artist herself—illuminate Butler’s approach to color, use of African-print fabrics, and wide-ranging sources of inspiration. The first monograph on 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. 

Edited by Erica Warren; With contributions by Bisa Butler, Jordan Carter, Isabella Ko, Erica Warren, and Michele Wije.

• Format: Hardcover
• Dimensions: 8 x 12 in.
• Pages: 104
• Illustrations: 44