We have witnessed countless compelling documentaries highlighting visual artists: Vivian Maier. It could be cinematic storytelling truly excels when displaying exceptionally powerful still images. Today we have one more remarkable example, directed by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, exploring the remarkable career of Kwame Brathwaite—a creative force, performer and social justice champion who embodied a special artistic-political vision.
Together with his sibling Elombe, he pioneered the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the mid-century era by documenting the African American women in New York: young women of color who transformed into the transformative archetype for visual appeal, rejecting typical grooming practices and the predominant Caucasian ideal of female beauty.
The Influence of a Revolutionary Slogan
This powerful statement evolved into a transformative rallying cry, an inspired three-word manifesto for change. Simply stating that black people possessed beauty emerged as a transformative force in culture, activism and culture. The artist grew into integral to the Black power pan-Africanist struggle by documenting Muhammad Ali prior to his legendary Zaire bout in 1974.
He was appointed the official image creator for the band's continental journey, and subsequently was named the official visual chronicler for the iconic Apollo theatre, assembling an incredible collection of musical pioneers. In collaboration with Elombe, he emerged as the driving force behind arranging for the South African leader to address the public in Harlem.
Family Legacy
His son Kwame Jr is interviewed the their mission to achieve appropriate credit for his father's legacy after he was unjustly ignored in the prestigious Smithsonian institution, opened by Barack Obama in 2016.
The film additionally explores the profoundly sorrowful genesis of Brathwaite's dedication to photography: the shocking pictures of Emmett Till, the adolescent African American murder victim whose mourning family member defiantly insisted on an open coffin so the brutal truth of racist violence would not be concealed.
From Tragedy to Empowerment
From this vision of tragedy, the artist discovered a kind of transformative realization that directed him toward visual representations of community. His images powerfully conveyed celebratory strength and frequently not overtly political: he established a new visual language of empowerment around which activist groups could mobilize.
The documentary stands as an inspiring chronicle of creative genius that continues to inspire decades later.
