Opacity in Art as a Form of Resistance

Abstract

This piece seeks to answer the question posed by Eric Stanley: “How can we be seen without being known and how can we be known without being hunted?”. This question urges the reader to think about the trade-off that marginalized folks experience between representation and safety. This piece looks at various artworks by LaBeija, Gonzales-Day, Triburgo, and others. The author argues that artists can use Édouard Glissant’s concept of opacity as a possibility for resistance. The various ways of resistance through artistic means can ensure visibility but simultaneously allow the creator to remain opaque and thereby allow for the representation of marginalized folks without compromising their safety.