Testament Project, Volume 03

Kris Graves - Testament, Volume 03, 2016 The Testament Project is an exploration and re-conception of the contemporary black experience in America. More often than not, black people are portrayed in the extreme—either as very rich or very poor, they are demonized, infantilized, ridiculed, idolized or hyper-sexualized; and within the art canon there is a noticeable scarcity of black representation. In these glowing portraits, control of the colored lighting is given to my subjects, in order to create a space that is participatory and empowered. By including subjects in the creation of the scene and the altering of color, I seek to create photographs that portray individuality in addition to their blackness. *On the occasion of an exhibition at Bryn Mawr College, September 21 - December 18, 2016 Essay by Carrie Robbins, PhD 11 x 9.25" perfect-bound softcover 52 pages, 22 plates Limited edition of 600 COLLECTIONS Amon Carter Museum of Art Bryn Mawr College Guggenheim Museum Metropolitan Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design Schomburg Center / New York Public Library Whitney Museum