Getty Exhibition Exposes Narrow View of Black Photography

The Getty Museum's West Pavilion in Los Angeles is currently hosting a review of 'Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985.' This exhibition, curated by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, showcases over 200 images captured by Black photographers who chronicled the Black Arts Movement. It is organized into eight thematic sections: 'Picturing The Self/Picturing The Movement,' 'Fashioning The Self,' 'Representing The Community,' 'About Looking,' 'Activism,' 'In The News,' 'Transformations in African Americans and Culture,' and 'California Connections.' Featured photographers include renowned names like Gordon Parks and Carrie Mae Weems, alongside lesser-known artists such as Alex Harsley, Doug Harris, and Kwame Braithwaite. Notable works include Doug Harris's 1964 photograph of Malcolm X at a Harlem rally and Barbara DuMetz's 1977 'Kraft Foods Advertisement.' The exhibition, which runs until June 14, also addresses the broader implications of Black photography in the context of social justice, referencing figures like Emmett Till and George Floyd.