In the galleries: 'Afrofuturism,' defined in the moment, by nine artists.

Originally describing African American science fiction from Samuel R. Delany’s novels to Funkadelic’s jams, “Afrofuturism” has grown to encompass far more. Nonetheless, Niama Safia Sandy balances the term with another in the subtitle of “Black Magic: AfroPasts/AfroFutures,” which she curated for Honfleur Gallery. An update of a show in Brooklyn last year, this nine-artist version includes three Washingtonians amid a mostly New York cast.

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One of the most intriguing pieces is Tariku Shiferaw’s large abstract painting, which plays with the surfaces above and below a sheet of clear acrylic. The picture may not have anything much to do with past or present, but it vividly embodies conflicting strata and shifting perceptions.

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