The Collection Phillips present Nexus of Frank Stewart: the journey of an American photographer, from the 1960s to the present day. This first museum retrospective features more than 100 photographs spanning a six-decade career, it focuses on his sensitive and spontaneous approach to depicting world cultures and black life in many forms, including music, art, travel, food and dance. Her work over the years has captured intimate and empathetic images of lives lived and observed across subjects, cities and countries.
“The Phillips Collection is delighted to present the expressive and compelling photography of Frank Stewart,” says Jonathan P. Binstock, director and CEO of Vradenburg. “The exhibition is the long-awaited recognition of the depth, breadth and extraordinary impact of Stewart’s visionary practice – his powerful examinations of our ever-changing landscape and its influence on American visual culture. »
Organized into thematic groups, Frank Stewart’s Nexus traces both his explorations of life on the road and the trajectory of his stylistic journey. The exhibit brings together a comprehensive visual autobiography through over 100 black and white and color photographs and includes a selection of cameras that Stewart has used over the years. Born in 1949, Stewart’s nomadic life and vision dates back to his childhood, traveling back and forth between Memphis, Chicago and New York. The retrospective’s display in Washington is of particular significance, as some of Stewart’s earliest photographs in the exhibit were taken when he was a teenager, photographing and documenting the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
“We look forward to showcasing Stewart’s art in the city that inspired it,” shares Phillips Collection Associate Curator Renee Maurer. “Not only were his earliest images taken in Washington, DC, but some of his enduring portraits show his longstanding relationship with the district. and his close ties to artists, including David C. Driskell and Alma W. Thomas. Frank Stewart’s Nexus will explore Stewart’s passionate research, capturing many subjects over half a century. Her photographs of the many aspects and rituals of black culture, explored through the senses of touch, sound and taste, suggest the joys and sorrows of everyday life. An interest in world cultures is visible throughout his practice, particularly the impact of his extensive travels to Africa and Cuba over the years, including his first visit to Africa in 1974 while a student at the Cooper Union. Central to her varied practice is the familiarity Stewart creates with the people and places that inhabit her works.
“With this exhibition, we are fortunate to get a sense of the limitless breadth and depth of contemporary genius,” enthuses co-curator Fred Moten. “Frank Stewart’s combination of loving care of his subjects and thoughtful consideration of his medium is singular and invaluable. »
Music – gospel, blues and jazz – is one of his main influences. Stewart traveled overseas with the Lincoln Center Orchestra Jazz Band as principal photographer from 1990 to 2020. Throughout his work with the orchestra, Stewart captured both public performances and moments candid and personal, creating an intimate portrait of some of the most celebrated musicians of our time. Stewart’s well-known photographs of jazz legends Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal and Wynton Marsalis are a highlight of the exhibition, displayed alongside candid shots of other artists in their workplace.
The exhibition also opens a window to less explored aspects of Stewart’s practice, including his series of more abstract and painterly drawings. Inspired by his travels around the world, the drawings capture reflections, walls, cars and children at play that showcase Stewart’s experimentations with the medium of photography. Stewart photographed in color from the start of her career, but with the shift to digital photography, color has dominated her work for the past two decades. He also adopted inkjet printing and increased the size of many of his images. As a student, his studies included painting lessons, with the famous Jack Whitten particularly important to him. In more recent images, Stewart captures the ever-changing landscapes and environmental disasters, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans between 2005 and 2007 and the devastating wildfires in California and the Pacific Northwest. .
“This exhibition explores Stewart’s celebratory attitude to life, often with a touch of irony,” shares co-curator Ruth Fine. “The theme of intimate and subtle relationships between and among people is central to Stewart’s art. His responses to the human dilemma reflect his ability to earn the trust of those with whom he interacts, be they friends or strangers.”
Frank Stewart : Nexus – An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present
Until September 3, 2023
The Phillips Collection
1600 21st St NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.phillipscollection.org
2023-08-04 01:56:38
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