While the issue of beauty has recently resurfaced after a long silence in Europe and North America, "Beautiful Ugly is the first book of its kind to tackle the subject of beauty in Africa. It shows that we cannot understand the concept of beauty if we do not also understand the idea of ugliness, the essays suggest.

While the issue of beauty has recently resurfaced after a long silence in Europe and North America, "Beautiful Ugly is the first book of its kind to tackle the subject of beauty in Africa. It shows that we cannot understand the concept of beauty if we do not also understand the idea of ugliness, the essays suggest. Writtten by continental and diasporic scholars, essays focus on sculpture, photography, art, music, fiction, food, clothing and urban design. Contributors include William Kentridge, Achille Mbembe, Simon Gikandi and Mia Couto.