There have been countless fascinating features focusing on photographers: Vivian Maier. Maybe the film medium naturally comes alive when presenting particularly vivid still images. Now we have one more exceptional instance, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, documenting the extraordinary life's work of Kwame Brathwaite—an artist, musician and civil rights advocate who represented a distinct politico-aesthetic perspective.
Together with his brother Elombe, he pioneered the expression “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the sixties by photographing the African American women in Harlem: emerging women of color who transformed into the transformative archetype for beauty, abandoning traditional beauty standards and the established Caucasian model of female beauty.
The Power of a Revolutionary Slogan
This powerful statement became a powerful call to action, an inspired memorable manifesto for transformation. Just to assert that people of color radiated beauty emerged as a empowering power in culture, social movements and culture. Brathwaite emerged as a key figure in the Black power global Black movement by photographing the sports icon before his historic championship fight in that era.
He became the primary photographer for the band's African tour, and later became the house photographer for the historic Apollo theatre, creating an amazing portfolio of black musicians. Alongside his brother, he became the central figure behind arranging for Nelson Mandela to appear in New York.
Personal Journey
Brathwaite's son his namesake is interviewed the their quest to ensure appropriate credit for his family heritage after he was unjustly overlooked in the prestigious National Museum of African American History and Culture, established by Barack Obama in recent years.
The film additionally explores the inexpressibly painful genesis of Brathwaite's passion for image making: the horrendous pictures of Emmett Till, the teenage Black lynching victim whose mourning family member courageously demanded an uncovered casket so the violent nature of bigoted brutality could not be hidden.
From Tragedy to Empowerment
From this vision of violence, the artist found a form of anti-epiphany that directed him toward images of beauty. His work beautifully expressed empowering beauty and often subtle in messaging: he curated a fresh symbolic representation of strength through which activist groups could mobilize.
The documentary stands as an inspiring chronicle of creative genius that continues to inspire through the years.
