Annah, Infinite
Annah, Infinite by Khairani Barokka, published by Tilted Axis Press on June 10, 2025, is a 352-page work of creative non-fiction that challenges established narratives in art history. This book critically examines Paul Gauguin’s painting Annah la Javanaise, proposing a provocative perspective that questions the portrayal of its subject, suggesting that the figure may represent a child in distress rather than a willing muse.
Readers will find a multifaceted exploration that confronts colonial ableism and reclaims narratives often overlooked in art discourse. Barokka employs a blend of poetry, fiction, and visual art to engage with the themes of ablenormativity, racism, and sexism, urging a reevaluation of how art history is taught and perceived. Annah, Infinite invites reflection on the emotional complexities inherent in art, emphasizing the potential for both pain and liberation within the context of historical representation.
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An experimental work of creative non-fiction that challenges art history, confronts colonial ableism, and reclaims a stolen spirit.
In Annah, Infinite, the dominant narratives surrounding Paul Gauguin’s famous painting Annah la Javanaise (1893-94) are turned upside down. The book argues a simple point: what if the portrait is not one of a consenting muse, but a child in pain?
Annah, Infinite questions the colonial power that has defined the infamous subject’s unknown history. Through the mythology of Annah, Okka draws attention to the systems of ablenormativity, racism, and sexism that shape what we learn of art history and what we see on museum walls.
Alongside her critique, the author engages with Annah la Javanaise through poetry, fiction, and visual art. A work of emotional heft, Okka asks us to acknowledge the possibility of pain in every single portrait, as well as the possibility of escape.
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