Robert McCurdy
Toni Morrison
2006Oil on canvas. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.)
Images via Flickr.
(via sapphrikah)
“Sharecropper” by Elizabeth Catlett
“I think there is a need to express something about the working class Black woman and that’s what I do.” — R.I.P. Elizabeth Catlett, artist, womanist, genius.
(via deliciouskaek)
“Dance Spirits and Magic” Beautiful Dance Photography by Richard Calmes
Source: pbase. com Copyright Richard Calmes
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Twilight Lovers (1994) by Tina Fiveash
Inspired by ‘Girl’s Own’ annuals and the Australian Women’s Weekly magazine from the 1950s, Stories for Girls is a tongue-in-cheek attempt to recreate missing lesbian photographic history from an era where homosexuality was a criminal offense, and lesbians were forced to remain in the closet and keep their relationships hidden from society.
Oh, I know Tina a little, she’s local here… she is an AMAZING photographer. Her stuff is just BAM.
(via eshusplayground)
Distinguished sociologist Erving Goffman noted that women in photographs are often portrayed in compromising or submissive situations such as having the head turned upwards to expose the neck or in a contorted stances often with light self-touching. Such poses invite the gaze of the viewer and make the subject of the photograph seem vulnerable and exposed to sexualization.
(via sugarbooty)
Tim Okamura
Diadems 2011, Oil and mixed media on canvas
78 x 72 in / 198.1 x 182.94 cmhe is so amazing. i don’t think i’ve seen any other male artist give so much space for darker-skinned black women with natural hair in their art.
(Source: locmeornot)
Bâtiment is a mirrored installation by artist Leandro Erlich currently on display at Le 104 in Paris as part of their In_Perceptions exhibition. The piece is clever in its simplicity: a massive building facade is constructed on the floor near a towering mirror giving anyone reflected the uncanny appearance of being weightless.
(via ghostingalone)
We arranged to do this shoot of Michael in the Presidential Suite of the Peach Tree Hotel in Atlanta in the late afternoon, the time photographers call the “magic hour,” when the light casts a warm glow and the angle of the sun creates deep shadows. Throughout the session, Michael tended to look away from the camera and directly into the lens, and he only smiled once of twice during the forty-five-minute shoot. We barely spoke to one another, not wanting to break the spell. I made minimal hand gestures to direct him, and I would nod and hum approvingly when I was sure I got something special.
Later, when I showed him the proof sheets of the photo session, he ordered two large prints of every picture, which was highly unusual. Typically, if someone orders one or two pictures from a session, it’s considered a success. I was blown away. “Two of every single one? That’s about 144 prints… Michael answered, “Yes, I can count. I want one set for myself and one for Diana [Ross]. Todd, this is magic.” Todd Gray-photographerHe looks profoundly solemn in the upper right image. Like a human being.
Hidden in the Open: A Photographic Essay of 140-Years of Black Male Couples
Historian Trent Kelly has collected 146 rare vintage photographs of black male couples from the past 150 years.
Although the large majority of the pictures depict gay couples, the collection also includes images of families and friends but they all have one thing in common: they capture images of love.
Below is a snippet of why Kelly started the collection along with a few photos from his archive.
“Historically, the Afro American gay male and couple has largely been defined by everyone but themselves. Afro American gay men are ignored into nonexistence in parts of black culture and are basically second class citizens in gay culture. The black church which has historically played a fundamental role in protesting against civil injustices toward its parishioners has been want to deny its gay members their right to live a life free and open without prejudice. Despite public projections of a “rainbow” community living together in harmonious co-habitation, openly active and passive prejudices exist in the larger gay community against gay Afro Americans.”
(via offbeatorbit)
Qamar Hashim is an 8-year-old Iraqi photographer. He tours famous streets to picture Baghdadis with his single camera and is the youngest Iraqi photographer to win several local awards, according to the Iraqi Society Photographic (ISP).
Below, Qamar responds to a series of questions.
- When did you take your first photograph and what did it show?
I do not remember exactly the first picture but I had been mimicking my father since I was 4 or 5 years-old and started to take pictures of the Tigris river, the gulls, birds, old houses and heritage places.
- Why do you think photography is important?
Photography is very important. It documents life and pauses time. We can show the city, life and the people.
- What do you want to show people about Iraq?
I want to say through my pictures that Iraq is precious and Iraqis are very kind. Iraq is peaceful and has a great history.
- How do you feel about the U.S. troops leaving Iraq?
I am afraid of the U.S. soldiers, they destroyed the house my family rented in 2003, when I was a fetus. Thank God my family survived and I am happy now for their departure. I am free and not afraid of their tanks.
- What do you want to be when you finish school?
I like to act and I would like to be a child-activist.
- Which is your favorite photo you have taken and why?
My favorite picture is of a man sleeping who sells books at al-Mutanabi street. Also a picture of a bee on a rose, I ran a lot to follow the bee until I got this picture.
- Are there any photographers you look up to?
There a lot of good photographers and I learned from them (Adel Qassim, Fouad Shakir, Kareem al-Ba’aj, and Hameed Majeed).
- Are there any photos you wish to take but haven’t been able to yet?
The dangerous pictures like fire, blasts, other incidents but I have been sent off the site. They say I am a child. Also I wish to get a picture of the triangle of migrant birds.
- What does the future of Iraq look like?
I see a flourishing future for Iraq especially when my family owns a house. I love Iraq, my home, and it is more precious than anything else.
(via squintyoureyes)
