History has seen countless fascinating films focusing on image makers: Tish Murtha. It could be cinematic storytelling truly excels when presenting particularly vivid still images. Now we have a new remarkable instance, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, documenting the impressive professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—an artist, musician and social justice champion who represented a distinct artistic-political perspective.
In partnership with his family member Elombe, he effectively created the expression “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the 1960s by documenting the Grandassa Models in the cultural epicenter: youthful Black women who transformed into the sensational standard for beauty, abandoning traditional beauty standards and the usual Caucasian standard of female beauty.
The Influence of Three Words
This powerful statement transformed into a transformative call to action, an brilliant memorable prose poem for change. Simply declaring that African Americans radiated beauty emerged as a transformative influence in culture, social movements and the arts. Brathwaite became integral to the Black power pan-Africanist movement by capturing images of the legendary boxer leading up to his iconic Zaire bout in 1974.
He was appointed the exclusive photographer for the musical group's international performances, and subsequently assumed the role of the resident artist for the iconic Apollo theatre, creating an incredible collection of African American artists. Alongside his sibling, he emerged as the driving force behind bringing the South African leader to speak in New York.
Personal Journey
His son Kwame Jr recounts the their quest to achieve due acknowledgment for his father's legacy after he was hurtfully excluded in the prestigious National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened by the political leader in this century.
The feature also recounts the inexpressibly painful inspiration of the photographer's passion for image making: the shocking pictures of the young victim, the young civil rights tragic figure whose grieving mother defiantly insisted on an public viewing so the violent nature of racist violence might not be covered up.
Through Darkness to Beauty
Through this vision of violence, the artist encountered a type of transformative realization that led him toward photographs of community. His photographs beautifully expressed celebratory strength and often subtle in messaging: he established a fresh symbolic representation of pride through which activist groups could unite.
It is an inspiring record of cultural impact that still empower across generations.
