Maud Sulter (19 September 1960 – 27 February 2008)[1] was a Scottish contemporary fine artist, photographer, writer, educator, feminist,[2] cultural historian, and curator of Ghanaian heritage.

She was a champion of the African-American sculptor Edmonia Lewis,[4] and was fascinated by the Haitian-born French performer Jeanne Duval.

[5] Born on 19 September 1960 in Glasgow, Scotland, to a Scottish mother and a Ghanaian father,[6] Maud Sulter attained a master's degree in Photographic Studies[1] from the University of Derby.

[1] In Sulter's Call and Response, she raised the topic of "the finest"[2] and radical artists in London at the time identified as lesbians.

"[1] Sulter participated in The Thin Black Line exhibition, curated by Lubaina Himid at the ICA in London in 1985.

Her photography was exhibited across the UK and internationally, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1987, the Johannesburg Biennale (1995),[9] and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 2003.

"[17] Maud Sulter defined "Zabat" as "a sacred dance performed by groups of thirteen", "an occasion of power", possibly the origin of witches sabbat, "Blackwomen's rite of passage".

[18] In this series of nine large-scale cibachrome photographs, contemporary black women artists, musicians and writers pose as ancient muses.

[18] An art series named in Welsh "Syrcas" (English translation: Circus) was produced by Sulter in 1993,[20] and is about reviving the forgotten history of black Europeans during the Holocaust and their genocide.

[21] It includes a fictional character related to the historical background of her piece created by Sulter named Monique.

First exhibited at Tate Liverpool, Hysteria travelled to Rochdale, Street Level Photoworks and the Royal Festival Hall, 1991–92.

A series created by Sulter in 1993 includes nine large-scale photographs mounted in wooden frames, with annotations for each image.

Sulter's ideals of this poem inspired her to portray herself in the photos with passion and emotion- opposing the "common view" on this piece as sexualized.

[28] A mixed-media piece created in 1985 and meant as a social commentary on the 20th century, this work outlined the struggles and effects of racism that African women faced during this time.

[19] Twa Blak Wimmin ("Two Black Women"), created by Sulter in 1997, was made "to recognise a more historical link between Europe and Africa.

[38] Recent exhibitions include: Sarah Maldoror: Tricontinental Cinema, Paris, 2021 and Sulter: Centre of the Frame, Cambridge and Rochdale, 2021–22.