History has seen numerous fascinating features highlighting photographers: Vivian Maier. It could be the documentary format naturally comes alive when presenting particularly vivid still images. Here comes another remarkable case, directed by writer-director Yemi Bamiro, documenting the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—a photographer, musician and civil rights advocate who represented a special politico-aesthetic approach.
Together with his family member Elombe, he virtually invented the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the 1960s by documenting the Harlem models in Harlem: emerging African American women who transformed into the sensational template for aesthetics, abandoning traditional grooming practices and the predominant white model of womanhood.
The Impact of a Simple Phrase
This powerful statement transformed into a radical rallying cry, an inspired memorable manifesto for change. Simply stating that African Americans were beautiful emerged as a liberating power in art, social movements and creative expression. Brathwaite grew into integral to the social justice pan-Africanist cause by documenting the legendary boxer leading up to his legendary Rumble in the Jungle in 1974.
He was appointed the primary image creator for the Jackson 5's continental journey, and eventually was named the resident artist for the legendary cultural institution, assembling an incredible collection of black musicians. Alongside his brother, he became the central figure behind securing the anti-apartheid icon to speak in New York.
Personal Journey
Brathwaite's son his namesake recounts the their quest to achieve appropriate credit for his parent's achievements after he was hurtfully overlooked in the nation's capital's Smithsonian institution, inaugurated by the political leader in recent years.
The feature also recounts the deeply tragic genesis of the photographer's interest in visual storytelling: the horrendous images of the young victim, the teenage civil rights murder victim whose bereaved parent defiantly demanded an open coffin so the brutal truth of bigoted brutality could not be covered up.
From Tragedy to Beauty
In this image of tragedy, the visionary discovered a type of transformative realization that directed him toward photographs of aspiration. His images were eloquent of empowering beauty and often not overtly political: he developed a fresh visual language of strength upon which activist groups could gather.
This represents an exhilarating testament of artistic vision that still resonate through the years.
