February marks Black History Month, a period dedicated to recognizing Black artists and their contributions to visual culture. From the poignant work of Ernest Cole to the vibrant scenes of Arielle Bobb-Willis, these eleven essential books explore the impact of photography on the representation and narration of the Black experience.
Images in the Service of Memory and Justice
Race Stories: Essays on the Power of Images – Maurice Berger (2024)
In this work, Maurice Berger examines how photography shapes racial perceptions. Through 71 trialsIt explores the use of images to support or challenge stereotypes. This book shows how photography can become a tool for social justice.
African American Landscapes and History
Dawoud Bey: Elegy (2023)
Dawoud Bey captures the African American presence in landscapes steeped in history. His photographs traverse Louisiana plantations and the final stretches of the Underground Railroad in Ohio, illuminating places where the history of the struggle for freedom still resonates.
Color as a Language
Arielle Bobb-Willis: Keep the Kid Alive (2024)
Bobb-Willis transforms streets into surreal scenes. His world, rich in color and movement, redefines fashion photography. His images, both dreamlike and powerful, celebrate youth and resilience.
The Rediscovered Photographs of Ernest Cole
Ernest Cole: The True America (2024)
Exiled from South Africa after the publication of House of BondageErnest Cole documented America in the 1960s. His photographs, long lost, have recently been rediscovered. They offer a striking glimpse into the struggle for civil rights and the social realities of that era.
Between Tradition and Modernity
Awol Erizku: Mystic Parallax (2023)
Erizku blends African traditions with pop culture. Her conceptual portraits revisit Western art history through a Black and contemporary lens. This mix creates images that are both bold and thoughtful.
As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic (2021)
This collection highlights the diversity of Black identity. Through the Wedge Collection, it explores Black communities in Canada, the Caribbean, Great Britain, and Africa. Each photograph tells a unique and powerful story.
The Power of Portraiture
Deana Lawson: An Aperture Monograph (2018)
Lawson creates theatrical portraits where every element has meaning. From clothing to sets, everything is designed to tell a story. His work questions notions of family, intimacy, and power.
Zanele Muholi: Somnyama Ngonyama, Hail the Dark Lioness, Volume II (2024)
Muholi uses self-portraiture to explore questions of identity and race. With striking black and white images, the South African artist confronts stereotypes and celebrates Black beauty.
Experimental Explorations
Paul Sepuya: Dark Room AZ (2024)
Sepuya deconstructs the traditional portrait. Through plays of mirrors and superimpositions, he redefines the relationship between subject and viewer. His images encourage us to rethink contemporary photography.
Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (2020)
The first Black woman whose works are included in the MoMA, Ming Smith captures the poetry of everyday African American life. Her images, often blurred or in motion, exude a unique sensitivity.
Shikeith: Notes Towards Becoming a Spill (2022)
This intimate project explores Black male vulnerability. Shikeith's photographs blend melancholy and transcendence, revealing the complexity of emotions and identities.
An Essential Library
These eleven books offer an essential overview of the Black experience through multiple perspectives. Each tells stories, questions representations, and honors the creativity of Black artists. These books are not merely collections of images: they are... tools for memory, reflection and celebration.
