We have witnessed countless engaging documentaries about image makers: Martin Parr. Perhaps the film medium naturally comes alive when displaying exceptionally powerful photographs. Here arrives one more remarkable example, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, documenting the remarkable career of Kwame Brathwaite—a creative force, artist and social justice champion who exemplified a unique cultural-activist approach.
In partnership with his brother Elombe, he virtually invented the phrase “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the mid-century era by capturing the Grandassa Models in the cultural epicenter: youthful African American women who emerged as the transformative archetype for beauty, moving beyond typical grooming practices and the predominant white model of womanhood.
The Influence of a Revolutionary Slogan
This powerful statement became a radical call to action, an visionary concise manifesto for transformation. Simply stating that African Americans were beautiful became a liberating influence in art, politics and the arts. The artist became integral to the Black power global Black cause by photographing the sports icon prior to his legendary Zaire bout in that era.
He served as the primary visual documentarian for the Jackson 5's African tour, and later assumed the role of the official visual chronicler for the legendary Apollo theatre, creating an extraordinary archive of musical pioneers. Together with his brother, he became the driving force behind bringing the South African leader to address the public in New York.
Family Legacy
Brathwaite's son his namesake shares the their quest to secure due acknowledgment for his parent's achievements after he was hurtfully overlooked in Washington DC's National Museum of African American History and Culture, established by the former president in recent years.
This documentary additionally explores the profoundly sorrowful genesis of the photographer's passion for image making: the shocking photographs of Emmett Till, the adolescent civil rights lynching victim whose bereaved parent boldly requested an public viewing so the violent nature of racial hatred could not be covered up.
Amidst Sorrow to Beauty
In this vision of violence, the artist encountered a type of profound understanding that directed him toward visual representations of community. His images powerfully conveyed community pride and often not overtly political: he developed a innovative iconography of empowerment through which political movements could mobilize.
This represents an captivating chronicle of artistic vision that continues to resonate through the years.
