There have been countless fascinating documentaries about photographers: Vivian Maier. Maybe the film medium particularly shines when presenting remarkably striking still images. Here comes a new exceptional case, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, exploring the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—a creative force, performer and social justice champion who represented a unique cultural-activist approach.
In partnership with his brother Elombe, he virtually invented the phrase “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the sixties by photographing the Harlem models in Harlem: young Black women who became the sensational template for visual appeal, abandoning conventional beauty standards and the usual Caucasian ideal of womanhood.
The Impact of Three Words
This powerful statement transformed into a transformative call to action, an visionary memorable declaration for progress. Just declaring that African Americans radiated beauty became a transformative power in art, social movements and creative expression. The photographer emerged as a key figure in the Black power pan-Africanist cause by photographing the sports icon prior to his iconic Zaire bout in the seventies.
He served as the exclusive image creator for the band's international performances, and later was named the house photographer for the legendary Apollo theatre, building an extraordinary collection of black musicians. In collaboration with Elombe, he became the driving force behind securing Nelson Mandela to address the public in the community.
Family Legacy
His son Kwame Jr is interviewed the their campaign to achieve appropriate credit for his parent's achievements after he was hurtfully ignored in the prestigious National Museum of African American History and Culture, established by the political leader in 2016.
This documentary further reveals the deeply tragic genesis of the photographer's interest in image making: the horrendous photographs of Emmett Till, the teenage Black lynching victim whose grieving mother boldly requested an uncovered casket so the violent nature of bigoted brutality could not be hidden.
From Tragedy to Beauty
In this representation of tragedy, the artist encountered a type of anti-epiphany that led him toward visual representations of community. His photographs powerfully conveyed community pride and often not overtly political: he established a fresh visual language of empowerment around which social causes could gather.
This represents an inspiring record of cultural impact that still resonate decades later.
