Gordon Parks Exhibition Opens at Howard Greenberg Gallery's New Space

Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York has reopened in a new space on a different floor of the same building with an exhibition of photographs by Gordon Parks (1912–2006). The show, titled 'A Choice of Weapons,' marks the 50th anniversary of Parks' second feature film as director, 'Shaft' (1971), a classic crime film that originated the blaxploitation genre. The 27 images on display reveal Parks' cinematic approach, implying narratives that extend beyond the frame and reflect his desire to portray complex facets of his subjects' lives and communities. The exhibition includes photographs made in 1952 in collaboration with Ralph Ellison, inspired by Ellison's novel 'Invisible Man,' as well as iconic images published in LIFE Magazine in 1948 featuring gang leader 'Red' Jackson. The title 'A Choice of Weapons' references a quote by Parks, who for decades was LIFE's only Black photojournalist: 'I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, and poverty.' The phrase also titles Parks' 1966 autobiography and a new HBO documentary about young creatives inspired by Parks over the decades. The exhibition runs until December 23, 2021, at Howard Greenberg Gallery, 41 East 57 Street, eighth floor.