Metal Leaves Studio
  • Home
  • Profile
  • Contact
  • Editorial
  • MUSIC Gallery
  • Event Services
  • EVENT Gallery
  • Portrait Services
  • PORTRAIT Gallery
  • Blog

Black Is Beautiful | The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite at the DIA

10/7/2021

0 Comments

 
I was honored to be invited to a press preview at the DIA for an upcoming exhibit, Black is Beautiful.

The Detroit Institute of Arts, in collaboration with Aperture traveling exhibitions, presents Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite. 

The exhibit highlights the life and career of Brathwaite in the 1950s and 1960s, and his influence on the “Black is Beautiful” movement. The retrospective includes large scale, color works by Brathwaite, an influential activist, photographer and co-founder of the African Jazz-Arts Society and Studios.
Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite is the first major exhibition dedicated to Brathwaite, an important figure of the second Harlem Renaissance. The retrospective opens to the public on October 8, 2021, and will be on view through January 16, 2022.
Inspired by activist and black nationalist Marcus Garvey's writings, Brathwaite, along with his older brother, Elombe Brath, founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) and the Grandassa Models. 
AJASS was a collective of artists, playwrights, designers, and dancers. Grandassa Models-- the subject of much of the exhibition's contents— was a modeling agency for black women, founded to challenge white beauty standards. The exhibition includes documentary photographs of stunning studio portraits, fashion work, to behind-the-scenes images of Harlem's artistic and jazz community.
​An exploration of Brathwaite's life and work, the exhibition has three sections that highlight Brathwaite’s photographic interests from the late 1950s through 1970.
​Part I
This segment includes portraits of Brathwaite + members of AJASS, and features work showcasing Harlem jazz clubs and festivals in New York City.
​Part II
This section celebrates people and places through photography. These images depict Black economic independence, political consciousness and self-representation.  Brathwaite was an integral force behind the “Black is Beautiful” movement. Through his photos, he promoted shops and storefronts where Black-owned businesses were located.
Part III

The third segment features music and fashion as represented by the Grandassa Models. This portion includes fashion shoots, promotional poster designs, and album cover art. Included alongside the images are original pieces of handcrafted African-inspired jewelry and clothing.
Picture
The exhibition opens to the public on October 8.
​
Please note: All museum visitors are required to make advance reservations in order to control capacity. Reservations can be made at dia.org or by calling 313-833-4005. Please review covid protocols which can be found here.

Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite is organized by Aperture, New York and Kwame S. Brathwaite, with major support provided by Cadillac.
Stay tuned for two upcoming events at the DIA, in conjuction with the Black is Beautiful exhibition: 

The New Black Vanguard | December 14, 2021 
An exhibition curated by Antwaun Sargent, curator + critic. This exhibit features a new generation of black photograpers. 

Kwame S. Brathwaite | Date TBD
A lecture by Kwame S. Brathwaite, son of Brathwaite. Kwame S. Brathwaite currently serves as the director of the Kwame Brathwaite Archive in Pasadena, California. 

More details to follow as they become available.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    All images & text ©Nicole Wrona

    Categories

    All
    Art & Design
    Celebrations
    Detroit
    Event
    Music
    New York

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    October 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009

    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.