About The Exhibition

Images of LIFE Magazine article shot and written by Parks: "The Redemption of the Champion," September 9, 1966; and "Harlem Gang Leader," November 1, 1948.

Images of LIFE Magazine article shot and written by Parks: "The Redemption of the Champion," September 9, 1966; and "Harlem Gang Leader," November 1, 1948.

This exhibition focuses on Parks' work spcifically from LIFE Magazine, which spanned more than two decades. This is just a brief overview of what he produced while at LIFE, but I chose these two portions in particular because they show, to me, how he grew individually and collectively as an artist and curator in his own personal life. He was very loyal to his work but continued to strive for more, and took the recognition and criticism in stride. All of which resulted in a legacy that we can look back on today and still feel an impact from, decades after it was originally published, for its rawness and strength.

I have always been a deep admirer of his work, well before choosing to pursue art and artistry in my own right. I love his photographic eye and the humanity that he brought to his work time and again, and really admire how he was able to hone that lens throughout decades of work both in front of and behind the lens.