Timeless illustrations of Saya Woolfalk’s artistic innovation in Afrofuturism and world-building

Saya Woolfalk: The Empathic Universe is the first full-scale monograph on this internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist. Woolfalk’s immersive installations are as visually stunning as they are intellectually engaging, winning ardent admirers worldwide. Lavishly illustrated, this volume surveys two decades of Woolfalk’s groundbreaking work including the artist’s garment-based sculptures, installations, videos, paintings and live performances.

“The Empathics” are a fictional race of women whose story runs throughout Woolfalk’s artworks. Their name reflects the hope that future societies will develop stronger empathy for one another, and their visual culture has its own distinctive imagery, symbolism and folklore, incorporating aspects of African, African-American, Japanese, European and Brazilian art, craft and storytelling.

Contributions by: Lowery Stokes Sims, Naomi Beckwith, Jasmine Wahl