History has seen numerous compelling documentaries focusing on visual artists: Vivian Maier. Perhaps the film medium naturally comes alive when showcasing exceptionally powerful visual compositions. Here arrives another remarkable instance, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, exploring the extraordinary career of Kwame Brathwaite—a photographer, artist and civil rights advocate who represented a unique artistic-political perspective.
In partnership with his brother Elombe, he pioneered the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the mid-century era by photographing the African American women in Harlem: youthful Black women who emerged as the sensational template for aesthetics, rejecting conventional beauty standards and the predominant Caucasian ideal of womanhood.
The Influence of Three Words
The iconic phrase evolved into a transformative call to action, an brilliant three-word prose poem for change. Simply declaring that African Americans radiated beauty became a empowering power in society, social movements and the arts. The photographer grew into a key figure in the Black power African diaspora struggle by photographing the sports icon prior to his iconic Rumble in the Jungle in 1974.
He was appointed the primary visual documentarian for the band's international performances, and eventually assumed the role of the house photographer for the iconic Harlem venue, assembling an amazing collection of musical pioneers. In collaboration with his sibling, he emerged as the key organizer behind securing Nelson Mandela to appear in New York.
Historical Recognition
His son his namesake recounts the their campaign to secure appropriate credit for his family heritage after he was painfully overlooked in Washington DC's National Museum of African American History and Culture, established by the political leader in 2016.
The feature also recounts the deeply tragic inspiration of the artist's interest in image making: the horrendous pictures of the young victim, the young African American murder victim whose bereaved parent boldly requested an public viewing so the violent nature of racist violence might not be concealed.
From Tragedy to Hope
From this vision of tragedy, Brathwaite discovered a type of profound understanding that directed him toward visual representations of aspiration. His photographs powerfully conveyed community pride and often subtle in messaging: he developed a new iconography of pride around which activist groups could mobilize.
This represents an captivating testament of artistic vision that persists in inspire through the years.
