Emblematic Elusions: Eros in African Cinema by Afi Venessa Appiah

Emblematic Elusions: Eros in African Cinema is a chapbook series by Africanist film theorist Afi Venessa depicting how filmmakers redefine the Black form in the visual field from the wounded signifier to an embodied vessel for liberation. Each edition presents a film essay analyzing a significant Black African movie; Edition I showcased La Noire de… (1966, Ousmane Sembène). Edition II, which this article focuses on, revolves around Les Saignantes (2005, Jean-Pierre Bekolo).

Such engagement on the question of Eros allows for an intuitive opening for larger discourses in history, (post)colonialism, migration and diaspora, socio-economic dynamics and (post)nationalism. ​​

African culture is more discreet, less externalized, more modest and restrained. Every disclosure of the matter is a violation of the matter. In this sense, cinema is transgression. (Folly, 1996)

Considering cinema’s inherent ability – and burden, to an extent – of making matter seen, such a dichotomy allows for complex yet invigorating discourse …  

Edition II’s front and back covers feature a unique blend of stylized hand-drawn elements. The title’s delicate lettering by graphic and type designer Juliette Duhé unwittingly alludes to a rare edition of Tales of a Grandfather (1828–1830) sitting in Anteism Books’ bindery studio BookArt where the chapbooks are made. The letters’ fluid shapes give the title an ethereal quality featuring a swirling and intertwining flow. Despite the content’s engagement with African and filmic theory and philosophy, Duhé’s whimsically drawn typeface challenges any sense of a formal and structured title form.

The back of the chapbook’s accordion form features the writer’s “Afi” logo designed by Jonna Mayer. The graphic and type designer renders an ornamental lettering that recognizes the writerly craft with its calligraphic essence. The hand-lettered logotype has a fluid and graceful quality. Its strokes have a palpable sense of the artist’s gestural movement. Mayer achieves a classic feel as an ode to the literary world and its history. All while remaining playful, the personality-filled A’s arm stretches upwards while its leg nonchalantly curves into the F whose ball terminal forms the dot of the I. With a contemporary approach, the type logo’s design holds a roundedness and thickness that refers to organic handwritten-style lettering emerging in the mid-20th century.

Juliette Duhé designed the layout of the chap books interior bringing life to the text rooted in Afi Venessa’s thesis Within Double Restraint: the Dialectics & Aesthetics of Erotic [Re]presentation in African Cinema.

With typography playing a determining role, its setting is meticulously composed to highlight key narrative elements as well as filmic and theoretical concepts. The body features the deliberately chosen typefaces Freight Text and Halyard Display conceived by Joshua Darden, the first African-American credited as a type designer. Freight Text, Darden’s first published typeface at the remarkable age of 15, “demonstrates a respect for the past yet follows no particular historical model” (FontBooklet No.2). Halyard Display’s personality is at once familiar while pleasingly setting itself apart. While it was originally intended for larger sizes, it was selected here for its strong visual presence and tighter kerning, making the body text exude confidence and sophistication.

For quotes, the typographic palette is further enriched by Penumbra Serif, adding a touch of elegance to the highlighted passages. It is one of the few serif designs with mono-weight strokes. As Penumbra is a titling type, it has only uppercase letters, giving significance to citations in this academically rooted series. For subtitles, ITC Bolt introduces an assertive and futuristic presence, while ITC Busorama is used for keywords, offering a spirited contrast that captures the reader’s eye.