Unmasked & Dubh

These two works entitled Unmasked and Dubh are part of a mural series ‘Future Antebellum’ created by artist Shawn Theodore. This series examines potential Blackness beyond 2030 and is part of a greater body of Theodore’s work titled Afromythology.

As Theodore explains: “The goal of my work in Afromythology is to: dethrone monolithic Black identities, broaden Black figurative representation beyond simplistic futuristic ideation, and to decolonize postmodern African American photography.”

The works are installed at the historic Freedom Theatre, whose mission is “to chronicle African-American History in the performing arts.” John E. Allen, Jr. founded the Freedom Theater in a North Philadelphia storefront in 1966 with the support of the Black People’s Unity Movement. The murals have been digitally printed and installed on frames, allowing the Freedom Theatre to showcase new artworks by BIPOC artists every two to three years.