Post-Butt: The Power of the Image

The phenomenon of "bootyfication,” from colonialism to contemporary visual culture

Post-Butt analyses the virality of images in our mediated society. The book is essentially a case study of the image of female butts and their influence in media, society and art. The butt, this book argues, is the democratic sex object par excellence, and the phenomenon of bootyfication exists in many contexts, from the exploitation of the body in colonialism to ’90s hiphop culture. Post-Butt traverses various periods and locations to analyse the political implications of the image of the female butt. It goes on to discuss the role of the butt in film, internet art, music videos, dance and plastic surgery. Ultimately, Post-Butt aims to reflect on how our society is conditioned by viral images that exist not only in a digital context, but also have consequences in the physical world.

With an introduction by Charlotte van Buylaere, curator and writer specializing in postfeminism and internet art, the book features Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Guy Debord, Beyoncé, Amy Schumer, Kara Walker, Josefine Baker, Kim K. Saartje Baartman, Amalia Ulman and many others.