Gordon Parks Photography Exhibit
Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1948 Gelatin silver print 14 x 11 inches
When I heard that the Howard Greenberg Gallery in the Fuller Building was having a photography exhibit of Gordon Parks, I hurried over. I love his work. Parks (1912-2006) described his camera as his “choice of weapons.” Known for his work documenting American life and culture with a focus on social justice, race relations, the civil rights movement and the African-American experience. He was hired as a staff photographer for Life Magazine in 1948 where over two decades he created his most ground-breaking work with an emphasis on the social and economic Impact of poverty, discrimination and racism.
In 1969 Parks launched a pioneering film career by being the first African-American to write and direct a major studio Picture, “The Learning Tree,” based on his semi-autobiographical novel foreshadowed through his cinematic approach to photography. This marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Parks’ second full-length directorial endeavor, “Shaft,” a 1971 classic NYC detective film that spawned the blaxploitation genre, the Greenberg Gallery endeavors to present photographic works that reveal Parks’ imaginative approach. Parks didn’t just photograph a person, he also tried to show that person’s life. He succeeded.
I strongly advise you to see this exhibit.
Howard Greenberg Gallery will present the photography exhibition Gordon Parks: A Choice of Weapons from October 8 through December 23 in the new gallery on the 8th floor of the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street.
Miriam Silverberg can be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
