Photography exhibitions are exceptional means of comprehending the medium in myriad ways. They offer fresh perspectives, especially when they encourage you to consider long-term projects that extend beyond a single image or theme. Such exhibits are even more exceptional when they showcase the work of people of color, offering us a diverse narrative and understanding of the world. If you are genuinely interested in an exhibition, then you have clicked on the right article because this upcoming showcase of Dawoud Bey will surely tug your heartstrings.
The lead image is by Dawoud Bey, courtesy of the Denver Art Museum. All images are used with permission.
A Young Man Resting on an Exercise Bike, Amityville, NY, from the series Street Portraits, 1988.
Organized by the Denver Art Museum (DAM), the exhibition will feature 38 portraits by Dawoud Bey, a renowned photographer and 2017 MacArthur Fellow. Titled Dawoud Bey: Street Portraits, the photographs depict Black Americans of varying ages in various settings on the streets. It’s interesting to note the pictures, often where the individual is seen staring straight into the camera, were created in collaboration with the subjects. This is the most ethical way to create images for the artist, as his practice requires him to forge an intimate bond with the people he photographs. Thus, the images are not mere depictions of what Bey sees but a compelling look into a community that often goes unnoticed. One could say that the portraits present Bey’s notions and reveal his deep empathy for those before his lens. More importantly, this showcase disregards racial stereotypes and illustrates the complexity of Black individuals, many of whom offer an open and intimate view into their lives.
…what interests me about photographing Black people: creating a visible representation of interiority, a sense that these are people with rich interior lives, not just social types. I want some aspect of that to be momentarily visible on the surface.
Dawoud Bey
“Dawoud Bey’s Street Portraits mark a turning point where the deliberate, closely observed portraits he had been making with a handheld camera began to contain what he has called ‘the kind of lush physical description’ he wanted his pictures to convey—and that is a consistent part of all the work he has made since,” says Eric Paddock, Curator of Photography for DAM. “The slower process of working with a camera on a tripod invited collaboration between the artist and his subjects, making each picture both an experiment and a discovery.”
A Couple in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY, from the series Street Portraits, 1988.
So, how does Dawoud Bey capture his images? For starters, he uses a large-format tripod-mounted camera. Popular for his psychologically compelling portraits, the photographer uses a positive/negative Polaroid film. This not only provides him with instant prints but can also be reused as a negative. Since his images are a collaboration, Bey gifts a small black-and-white Polaroid print of the images to his subjects. It is not only seen as a means of reciprocation but also as a way of returning a memento to the individuals who permitted him to make their portraits.
“Working in Harlem, I came to understand that part of the challenge in approaching strangers is making it seem like the most natural thing in the world as if we were just having a very open, engaging conversation,” said Bey to Frieze in an interview about his process. “Because it’s kind of unnatural to be stopped by a stranger on the street with a tripod and a large camera, I try to back up for a moment to give them the space to re-enter the world that they were in before I showed up. I want them to be comfortable enough that my camera and I effectively disappear. What then becomes apparent in the photograph is the rich, resonant experience of an individual who doesn’t look at all like they’re being photographed. Part of it is directing them to perform themselves because, even as I’m talking to them, I’m observing their gestures so I can tell them to try things that will be true to who they are.”
Dawoud Bey: Street Portraits showcase is arranged by the community where Dawoud Bey made the images: Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., Rochester, Amityville, and Harlem. The exhibition commences from November 17, 2024, to May 11, 2025. The photographer will also participate in an artist talk with Eric Paddock on November 19 from 6 to 7 pm.
For more information, visit the Denver Art Museum’s website.