Renowned photographer of the ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement, Kwame Brathwaite, passes away at 85

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The news of the passing of pioneering activist and photographer, Kwame Brathwaite, at the age of 85 on April 1st, has saddened many. His son, Kwame Brathwaite Jr, shared the news on Instagram.

Brathwaite’s work has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years, culminating in his first major institutional retrospective in 2019. The exhibition began at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles before touring the country.

Born to Barbadian immigrants in 1938, Brathwaite’s work was inspired by various experiences during his youth, leading him to pursue photography. His innovative use of a Hasselblad medium-format camera and darkroom techniques set his work apart.

Throughout the 1950s and ’60s, he captured iconic images of jazz legends like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, among others. Besides jazz, Brathwaite also ventured into documenting other forms of popular Black music in the 1970s.

Moreover, Brathwaite played a crucial role in challenging whitewashed beauty standards through his Grandassa Models fashion shows. His emphasis on celebrating Black beauty and culture continues to resonate today.

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Brathwaite’s legacy lives on through his work, which emphasized the “Black is Beautiful” ethos. Despite failing health in his later years, his influence remains palpable. In this spirit, an exhibition titled “Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For” is currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago till July 24th.

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