While I attend a number of art exhibition previews and I am glad to do so, it is not often that I walk into the room and stop in my tracks. Seeing The National Portrait Gallery's exhibit “The Black List: Photographs by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders” caused me to do just this.
Historically, the term “blacklist” referred to a group of people marginalized and denied work or social approval. "The Black List" was created out of the inspiration to change the meaning of the term to become that of a roll call of distinction.
"The Black List" is not only a photo exhibition, it is also a documentary and you can view some of that documentary in the gallery. The first volume debuted in 2008, just as Barack Obama was gaining national prominence.
Greenfield-Sanders conceived the project with the help of journalist Elvis Mitchell, who is also his neighbor and friend. The very first portrait that Greenfield-Sanders wanted to include in the project was one of Toni Morrison and that photo is front and center in the exhibit.
The subjects looked in to a camera at journalist Elvis Mitchell, who was in another room and Greenfield-Sanders explains that the project takes what is sometimes an hour-long interview and "crushes" it down to 4 minutes, so in each volume you have about 25 people looking into the camera and talking, with almost no cutaways.
The film got into Sundance and that propelled the project further. After the first volume, people were more prepared and it took a little more work to get subjects to be natural.
National Portrait Gallery Director Martin Sullivan says, this exhibit "…moves the image of portraiture beyond the frame." And Greenfield-Sanders agreed with that sentiment, later saying that the project is multi-platform because "in this day and age when it is hard to get attention, you need to approach people from different angles."
Some of the portraits look just as you'd imagine, matching the most publicized aspects of a notable person's persona; others seem more vulnerable than you'd imagine.
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At the preview, Greenfield_Sanders and his business partner spoke about some of the sessions:
T.D. Jakes: Greenfield-Sanders says this was the most surprising because "that is not a world I have interest in but he was so compelling…his ability to use words reminds me of poets I've photographed, like Ginsberg."
Samuel L. Jackson and LaTonya Richardson Jackson: These portraits are side-by-side in the exhibit and the photographer says that they had't even planned to photograph Sam Jackson. He came to the set unexpectedly, laughing and making comments during LaTonya's interview and they decided to include him.
Russell Simmons: Portraits were shot after the filming was finished and Greenfleld-Sanders says the energetic Simmons only gave him "like 45 seconds" to take the photo.
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The large scale of the pictures gives them a certain grandeur and Greenfield-Sanders says they were shot on a 8 x 10 camera, blown up and they still have extraordinary quality."
Choices were connected to subject schedules and availability (Greenfield-Sanders and Mitchell soon realized that many of the people on their original wishlist had passed away), with the idea of mixing up megawatt celebs with notable people who are less well known, including some people in fields that are not as celebrated (such as environmentalism).
You can see a vulnerable-looking Al Sharpton; an intense Sean Combs; Zane, the once-hidden author of black erotica; a triumphant (defiant?) Debra L. Lee of BET; Serena (no Venus); Rza, with his hands clasped as if in prayer; Slash of Guns ‘n’Roses fame; Hill Harper looking tougher than he often does; and an earnest Charley Pride, leaning forward.
See "The Black List" at the National Portait Gallery (Eighth and F Sts. NW, Washington DC) through April 22, 2012.
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