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Torkwase Dyson: A Liquid Belonging is an extraordinary publication that not only showcases the formidable visual and conceptual work of a groundbreaking contemporary artist but also reimagines how art books themselves can be experienced, handled, and understood. From the moment one encounters its slipcase and begins to interact with its surprising mix of bound and unbound materials, it becomes evident that Dyson and her collaborators have crafted something altogether different, a book that challenges conventional assumptions about the presentation of art in print form. The result is a compelling, multi-layered volume that stands as an indispensable companion to Dyson’s recent exhibition at Pace Gallery in New York.
Dyson’s artistic practice has long been concerned with exploring new frontiers of shape, space, and meaning. Guided by her philosophy of Black Compositional Thought—a framework through which she articulates geometries of liberation and resistance—Dyson’s art deftly merges painting, architecture, and social inquiry. In her large-scale, site-specific installations, she transforms galleries into environments that prompt viewers to see space differently. Geometries are not mere aesthetic flourishes; rather, they are infrastructures that signal freedom and possibility. At Pace, Dyson’s curvilinear and rectangular “hypershapes” were not simply on display, but integrated into the fabric of the architecture itself, encouraging visitors to explore shifting relations of bodies, histories, and environments. This new publication takes that spirit and transfers it onto the printed page—or, more accurately, into a tactile assemblage of pages, booklets, acetates, and folded objects.
The decision to incorporate both bound and unbound elements is more than just a design flourish. It’s an invitation to read and perceive this publication as one might experience an installation. Instead of passively flipping through a series of static reproductions, the reader is encouraged to handle these carefully selected materials, rearranging or overlaying them to discover new configurations of form and meaning. This approach encourages a dynamic engagement, reflecting Dyson’s larger aims: to challenge how we interact with artistic and scholarly content, and to remind us that knowledge—like space—can be navigated, reshaped, and reimagined.
The written contributions contained within A Liquid Belonging are every bit as rich and multifaceted as the physical structure of the object. The volume features texts by some of today’s most profound and forward-thinking voices, including Dionne Brand, LeRonn P. Brooks, Saidiya V. Hartman, Jaleh Mansoor, and Mabel O. Wilson, as well as a pivotal conversation between Dyson and Christina Sharpe. Each contributor brings a distinct perspective and methodology to interpreting Dyson’s practice. From nuanced historical analyses to meditations on the political dimensions of black spatial practice, their writing deepens our understanding of Dyson’s work and situates it within broader discourses on race, ecology, and social justice.
Saidiya Hartman’s reflections, for example, illuminate the complexities of Black geographies and histories, underscoring how Dyson’s abstractions resonate with layered narratives of displacement, resilience, and reclamation. Dionne Brand’s text imparts a poetic sensibility, contemplating Dyson’s forms as thresholds that blur the boundaries between water, sky, architecture, and memory. Mabel O. Wilson and LeRonn P. Brooks contribute critical frameworks that help readers situate Dyson’s geometries in ongoing conversations about black radical imagination and the built environment. Meanwhile, the conversation with Christina Sharpe highlights the importance of dialogue and exchange at the heart of Dyson’s enterprise, bringing forth how relational thinking and collaborative perspectives enrich our understanding.
Beyond its intellectual rigor, what truly makes this publication shine is its visual and tactile inventiveness. At 10½ by 10½ inches and featuring 48 color images, the book is generous in its photographic documentation, allowing readers to immerse themselves in Dyson’s vibrant palette and imaginative spatial configurations. The printing quality is superb, capturing subtle shifts of pigment and the intricate detail of Dyson’s architectural interventions. Moreover, the inclusion of acetate sheets and accordion-folded paper functions as a visual metaphor: layers of meaning and shifting perspectives that never quite resolve into a singular, fixed interpretation.
This is not merely a catalogue of work that once existed in a gallery. Instead, A Liquid Belonging asserts itself as a continuation of Dyson’s practice in another medium. It asks: How can a book embody the philosophical and aesthetic principles that guide an artist’s work? How can it become a site for experimentation, interpretation, and reconfiguration? Dyson and her team respond emphatically by embracing the book format as an architectural space in its own right—one that readers can enter, move through, and reshape.
In a moment when the role of the art book is often relegated to documentation or passive reference, A Liquid Belonging points toward new possibilities for what an art publication can be. It stands as a testament to Torkwase Dyson’s ingenuity and the collective insight of her peers. A true work of art in itself, this volume transcends the boundaries of the traditional monograph and delivers a deeply engaging, richly layered experience that will resonate with readers, viewers, and thinkers who seek to understand and participate in art’s capacity to transform how we see, feel, and inhabit our world.
Artdaily participates in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn commissions by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help us continue curating and sharing the art world’s latest news, stories, and resources with our readers.
