Last year I was searching for titles by black photographers on Blurb.com. I knew of a couple (Keba Konte, Kwesi Abbensetts) but expected that there would be many about which I didn’t know. At the time, I did a subject search on their site and it didn’t yield any additional titles, by which I was dismayed. Even those titles I knew were by black photographers were not thus tagged, and I wondered if it came back to the age-old debate about artists not wanting to be identified—or “ghettoized”—by race. The flipside of that perspective is that a potential audience for whom identity is relevant would be unable to access a title about which they didn’t already know.
Cut to one year later, and a subject search of “African American” on Blurb yielded 10 pages of results. What happened? Was there an explosion of self-publishing by black photographers, a clarification of Blurb’s search function, or something else to explain the dramatic turnabout? Whatever the reason, I’m not complaining. I had intended to log on and buy copies of the titles I didn’t yet have to review, but since there are so many I’m simply going to list them here (and invite the authors, should they read this, to send me review copies!) I am not including everything, just titles that seem clearly to be the work of professional photographers intended for sale to a broad audience (as opposed to private wedding collections, for example). This group includes Sheila Pree Bright’s self-published version of Suburbia.
The jury is still out with regard to self-published art books—how to regard them critically, for example, compared with books that have passed through the traditional system of editor, designer, publisher, etc., but they’re out there and I think it’s important to regard them as part of the dialogue of photography in print.
Untitled by Cey Adams. March 2009, 26 pages, softcover and hardcover, $14.95 – $28.95.
About the book:
Untitled is a collection of B&W photographs taken from 2004 – 2007. I wanted to show images that appear timeless.
locations include new york, sag harbor, portland, miami, salt lake city, san francisco, los angeles, palm springs, amsterdam, berlin, munich, glasgow, london, paris, milan, zurich.
About the author:
Cey Adams is a graphic artist whose career has taken him from bombing subway trains to designing hip hop album covers, stage backdrops, sportswear, and indelible logos. His clients include Def Jam Recordings, Roca Wear, Nike, Adidas, Burton Snowboards, Coca-Cola, Moët & Chandon, Comedy Central, HBO, Warner Bros., and many others.
He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Suburbia by Sheila Pree Bright. March 2010, 74 pages, hardcover, $57.95.
About the book:
American photographer, Bill Owens, documented the suburbs in the early 1970’s producing a body of work using a photo-journalistic approach. Also, Gregory Crewdson examined the suburbs in 1990’s, capturing large color photographs in a cinematic way showing psychological portrayals of white suburban lifestyles. Middle class multi-ethnic lifestyles do not have a presence within the contemporary art world. In ‘Suburbia’, I explore suburban life within the African American culture. It is intended to show a contrast between the American media’s projection of “typical” African American communities and a realistic picture of normal African American daily life.
About the author:
Sheila Pree Bright is a Fine Art Photographer base in Atlanta. Her large-scale works combine a wide-ranging knowledge of contemporary culture, while challenging perceptions of identity. Bright received national attention after winning the Santa Fe Prize from the Santa Fe Center for photography in 2006 for a series of work entitled The Suburbia Series. The series takes aim at the American media’s projection of the “typical” African American community and depicts a more realistic and common ideology of African American life. The series also explore the variations and similarities of an existence that subverts lifestyle and culture, particularly as it relates to Americanism. As a result, Bright has emerged as a new voice in contemporary photography with her edgy portrayals of urban and suburban themes.
Colors of Life by The Exposure Group African American Photographers Association, Inc. September 2009, 120 pages, hardcover, $85.00.
About the book:
“Colors of Life” showcases the photographic work of The Exposure Group African American Photographers Association members, including portrait artists, photojournalists, documentary, and fine art photographers. The Exposure Group African American Photographers Association [www.exposuregroup.org] is a participatory member-driven professional photographers association dedicated towards improving the skills, professionalism, and productivity of its members through information, education, and demonstration.
No Ways Tired: African-American Churches on Maryland’s Eastern Shore by Yvette E. Hynson. October 2009, 20 pages, softcover and hardcover, $25.95 – $43.95.
About the book:
This book takes a look at some of the oldest African-American churches on Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore (Queen Anne’s, Kent, Dorchester, Talbot and Caroline).
LOVE ME ALWAYS: A Photographic Celebration of African-American Children From Birth To College. Photographs by Odell Mitchell Jr. Written by Linda, Aviva, and Odell Mitchell III. January 2010, 26 pages, softcover, $19.95.
About the photographer:
Professional photographer specializing in photojournalism, photojournalism style wedding, portraits, editorial and commercial photography. Also designs collage books and albums.
Life is a Bitch by E Paul Julien. April 2009, 120 pages, hardcover, $102.95 – $198.95.
About the author:
My photography is focused on New Orleans and Haiti, these are vibrant places formed by French, West African, and other cultures. I try to capture their common heritage through my photography.
I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised on Africa Plantation, about 45 minutes northwest of New Orleans, on the west bank of the Mississippi River, in the small town of Modest. Africa Plantation is a Norman Trust roofing system that was built between 1790 and 1800. It sits 10 yards from the Mississippi River and is surrounded by sugar fields as far as the eye can see. For me, Africa Plantation was a spiritual place that put me in touch with nature and stimulated my imagination. As a young child, I would climb 45 feet to the very top of Africa with my little brother. Under the stars and moon, I would tell stories of how I was going to travel around the world. At some point between the time we spent on Africa’s hot tin roof and my father’s teaching me how to use his Nikon FT2, I began t[Blurb cuts the bio off at this point]
Chester Elmore’s Bookstore (3 titles): http://www.blurb.com/user/store/elmore45
About the author:
Art has always been a part of my life. I was fortunate enough to have been born in San Francisco, which has always been a cultural beacon for art in general but for African American Artists in particular. The social conditions of my neighborhood (Haight Ashbury) as well as the rest of the country at that time, allowed for voices to be heard that had heretofore been muted.
I was born into a Family that contained two formally trained working artists (my uncles). From an early age I made enough of a pest of my self that it became impossible for either of them to ignore my desire to learn from them. I began to imitate their works and eventually refine technique by critique and impromptu lessons. At that time there were few venues that would exhibit the work of African American Artists on par with their white counterparts. To counter this fact many of the African American Artists formed a collective to create their own venue, (The Black Man’s Art Gallery). Through my mentors I was able t[Blurb cuts the bio off at this point]
Azaan Kamau’s bookstore (7 titles): http://www.blurb.com/blurbnation/user/Azaankamau
About the author:
I am an award winning nationally syndicated journalist, poet, and photographer. I have written numerous books that uplift the soul and elevate the spirit! My work has also appeared in posters, newspapers, film sequences, brochures, and company logos. I specialize in all types of books such as photography, portfolios, how to books, wedding, cookbooks, children’s books, poetry, or anything your mind can imagine! I can quickly turn your photos or manuscript into a high quality book! Proceeds from my personal book sales are automatically donated to The Global Fund!
Hank Paper’s bookstore (4 titles): http://www.blurb.com/user/store/hankpaper
About the author:
Hank Paper has photographed around the world. Among his many solo exhibits are his shows at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, the High Point Historical Museum in North Carolina (Grand Opening Exhibit), the Morgenthal-Frederics Gallery in SOHO, the Tamarkin Leica Gallery in New York City, and The Slifka Center at Yale University.His awards and honors include a 2006 Grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism and Honorable Mention in 2007 CT Images. His photography has been spotlighted in Art New England.
His work has also appeared in Hadassah Magazine’s Jerusalem 3000 issue, Italy Italy Magazine, Scottish Life Magazine, Drift, Everywhere Magazine, the San Francisco Examiner and the L.A. Times Sunday Magazine.He is represented by the Kehler-Liddell Gallery in New Haven. www.hankpaper.com
