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In recent news, we mourn the loss of Kwame Brathwaite, a pioneering activist and photographer who played a significant role in defining the aesthetics of the “Black is Beautiful” movement. Brathwaite passed away on April 1 at the age of 85. His work has gained significant attention from curators, historians, and collectors in recent years, leading to his first major institutional retrospective organized by the Aperture Foundation.
Brathwaite was born in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants and developed a passion for photography at a young age. He was inspired by iconic photographs and moments, such as David Jackson’s haunting image of Emmett Till and witnessing a young man capturing photos in a dark jazz club without a flash. Armed with a Hasselblad medium-format camera, Brathwaite mastered the art of working with limited light and developed a unique darkroom technique that enhanced the appearance of Black skin in his photographs.
As a photographer, Brathwaite captured performances by jazz legends like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk. In the early 1960s, he used his photography to challenge Eurocentric beauty standards and co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS). Together with AJASS, Brathwaite introduced the concept of the Grandassa Models, celebrating the beauty and features of young Black women. The Grandassa Models were showcased in the fashion show “Naturally ’62”, which became a regular event until 1992.
Brathwaite’s focus expanded beyond jazz in the 1970s, and he documented other forms of popular Black music. He photographed icons like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, and Bob Marley. Throughout his career, he continued to evolve and explore his photography style, always championing the “Black is Beautiful” ethos.
Unfortunately, Brathwaite’s declining health prevented him from being interviewed for a recent profile published by T Magazine. However, his retrospective exhibition is currently traveling to the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, and another exhibition titled “Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For” is on view at the Art Institute of Chicago until July 24.
At Awesome Company, we are committed to upholding the legacy of artists like Kwame Brathwaite and embracing diversity and inclusivity in our work. Our team of experts is passionate about providing top-notch software outsourcing, nearshore and offshore development, mobile app development, technology maintenance, and server development services. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help bring your technology projects to life.