and…bruises me,” then the addition of the red tint is certainly what and bruises” ”pricks most in the photographs. The photographs in their original state may have already been quite haunting. But to see these individuals—whose expressions range from melancholy and despondency to anger and resentment—in a scarlet-red hue, truly invokes the violence and injustice of slavery. The effect of the red coloring intensifies the emotion and the misery in the eyes of the individuals becomes even more poignant. Although it is impossible to imagine what enslavement feels like, Paul Anderson explains, the photographs do successfully stimulate feelings of “horror.” The of Deborah Willis, Charles Harris, and Carrie Mae Weems all embody the elements of art photography that art philosophers deem critical. Although all of the photographic examples have a documentary quality, they each tell a story of the individuals depicted and successfully stimulate an emotion of their experiences. Given that their works meet the criteria that defines a work of art, it can then be said that African American documentary photographs certainly do qualify as art, or that they at least deserve an art historical analysis. An Art-Historical-Socio-Cultural Analysis In All My Years: The following analysis of Raymond Bial’s photographs differs In All My slightly from the analysis of the previously mentioned photographers. Several factors contribute to the distinction: Unlike Carrie Mae Weems’ photographs, which were appropriated, Bial actually took these photographs himself; Charles Harris, who identified himself as a photographer, Bial considers himself an artist; and finally, the
and…bruises me,” then the addition of the red tint is certainly what ”pricks and bruises” most in the photographs. The photographs in their original state may have already been quite haunting. But to see these individuals—whose expressions range from melancholy and despondency to anger and resentment—in a scarlet-red hue, truly invokes the violence and injustice of slavery. The effect of the red coloring intensifies the emotion and the misery in the eyes of the individuals becomes even more poignant. Although it is impossible to imagine what enslavement feels like, Paul Anderson explains, the photographs do successfully stimulate feelings of “horror.” The of Deborah Willis, Charles Harris, and Carrie Mae Weems all embody the elements of art photography that art philosophers deem critical. Although all of the photographic examples have a documentary quality, they each tell a story of the individuals depicted and successfully stimulate an emotion of their experiences. Given that their works meet the criteria that defines a work of art, it can then be said that African American documentary photographs certainly do qualify as art, or that they at least deserve an art historical analysis. In All My Years: An Art-Historical-Socio-Cultural Analysis The following analysis of Raymond Bial’s In All My photographs differs slightly from the analysis of the previously mentioned photographers. Several factors contribute to the distinction: Unlike Carrie Mae Weems’ photographs, which were appropriated, Bial actually took these photographs himself; Charles Harris, who identified himself as a photographer, Bial considers himself an artist; and finally, the
introduction(revised)_5d9219b8c1.docx