History has seen many fascinating features highlighting image makers: Tish Murtha. Perhaps the film medium particularly shines when displaying exceptionally powerful still images. Now comes another exceptional instance, by writer-director Yemi Bamiro, chronicling the extraordinary career of Kwame Brathwaite—a photographer, musician and civil rights advocate who represented a special artistic-political vision.
In partnership with his family member Elombe, he effectively created the expression “Black Is Beautiful” during the mid-century era by photographing the African American women in Harlem: young African American women who became the transformative archetype for beauty, rejecting traditional grooming practices and the usual white standard of female beauty.
The Impact of a Simple Phrase
The iconic phrase transformed into a transformative rallying cry, an inspired memorable manifesto for progress. Simply declaring that African Americans possessed beauty proved to be a transformative influence in art, activism and creative expression. The artist became integral to the Black power global Black struggle by documenting the legendary boxer before his legendary championship fight in that era.
He served as the exclusive image creator for the musical group's African tour, and later became the resident artist for the iconic cultural institution, building an incredible archive of musical pioneers. In collaboration with his brother, he became the key organizer behind bringing the South African leader to speak in Harlem.
Personal Journey
The photographer's offspring his namesake is interviewed the family's mission to ensure appropriate credit for his parent's achievements after he was painfully excluded in Washington DC's Smithsonian institution, established by Barack Obama in 2016.
This documentary further reveals the inexpressibly painful genesis of the photographer's interest in image making: the disturbing photographs of the young victim, the teenage civil rights murder victim whose bereaved parent boldly insisted on an uncovered casket so the brutal truth of racial hatred might not be hidden.
From Tragedy to Empowerment
In this representation of tragedy, Brathwaite encountered a type of anti-epiphany that directed him toward photographs of aspiration. His work powerfully conveyed celebratory strength and often subtle in messaging: he curated a fresh visual language of strength upon which political movements could unite.
The documentary stands as an captivating testament of creative genius that persists in resonate across generations.
