Lauren Halsey: Emajendat

Enter a Visionary World Rooted in Community, Power, and Imagination. A groundbreaking book exploring the electrifying world of artist Lauren Halsey, whose work transforms the streets and spirit of South Central Los Angeles into epic, utopian landscapes of Black pride, resistance, and radical possibility. Inspired by the neighborhood her family has called home for generations, Halsey’s practice is both a celebration and a safeguard — honoring the vibrancy of South Central while confronting the forces of gentrification and erasure. Through her bold visual language, Halsey gathers everyday signs, symbols, and stories from local culture and reimagines them into massive wall works, multiroom installations, and immersive environments that center Black identity, autonomy, and community.

But emajendat doesn’t stop at the present. Drawing on the iconography of ancient Egypt, the cosmic visions of Afrofuturism, and the radical utopian architecture of 1960s collectives like Archigram and Superstudio, Halsey reclaims and retools Black legacies for the future. Her work becomes a portal — a mythic, material archive of what was, what is, and what could be. With stunning visuals and powerful commentary, Lauren Halsey: emajendat is both an artistic monograph and a cultural manifesto — a richly layered tribute to community, imagination, and Black futurity.

Step into the world of Lauren Halsey — where every block is sacred, every wall tells a story, and the future is Black, bold, and beautifully built.

Details 

• Hardcover 
• 224 pages
• Dimension: 11.3in H x 9.3in W x 0.7in T