Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop

Nov 21, 2020–Mar 28, 2021

Working Together is an unprecedented exhibition that chronicles the formative years of the Kamoinge Workshop, a collective of Black photographers established in New York City in 1963. “Kamoinge” comes from the language of the Kikuyu people of Kenya, meaning “a group of people acting together,” and reflects the ideal that animated the collective. In the early years, at a time of dramatic social upheaval, members met regularly to show and discuss each other’s work and to share their critical perspectives, technical and professional experience, and friendship. Although each artist had his or her own sensibility and developed an independent career, the members of Kamoinge were deeply committed to photography's power and status as an independent art form. They boldly and inventively depicted their communities as they saw and participated in them, rather than as they were often portrayed.

This presentation focuses on the influential work of founding Kamoinge members during the first two decades of the collective. It includes approximately 140 photographs by fourteen of the early members: Anthony Barboza, Adger Cowans, Daniel Dawson, Louis Draper, Al Fennar, Ray Francis, Herman Howard, James M. Mannas Jr, Herb Randall, Herb Robinson, Beuford Smith, Ming Smith, Shawn Walker, and Calvin Wilson. Nine of these artists still live in or near New York City. The photographs provide a powerful and poetic perspective of the 1960s and 1970s during the heart of the Black Arts Movement. Working Together also presents an overview of many of the group’s collective achievements, such as exhibitions, portfolios, and publications.

Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop is organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and curated by Dr. Sarah Eckhardt, associate curator of modern and contemporary art, VMFA. The installation at the Whitney is overseen by Carrie Springer, assistant curator, Whitney Museum of American Art, with Mia Matthias, curatorial assistant.

In New York, the exhibition is sponsored by

Generous support is provided by Judy Hart Angelo and the Whitney’s National Committee.

Major support is provided by The Keith Haring Foundation Exhibition Fund.

Significant support is provided by Affirmation Arts Fund.

Additional support is provided by the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation.

Conservation support for this project was provided through a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

Events

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Installation photography

Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). Left: Anthony Barboza, Kamoinge Portrait, 1973. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). Left wall, from left to right: Anthony Barboza, Ming Smith, NYC, 1973; Al Fennar, Sag Harbor, 1975; Al Fennar, Straight Street, 1965; Herb Robinson, Relaxing in Central Park, 1961; Herb Robinson, The Girls, 1969; Ming Smith, Sun Breeze after the Bluing, Hoboken, New Jersey, c. 1972; Ming Smith, Kites Inside, Columbus, Ohio, c. 1972. Middle wall, clockwise from top left: Anthony Barboza, Self Portrait (Anthony Barboza), 1972; Anthony Barboza, Adger Cowans, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Dan Dawson, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Louis Draper, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Al Fennar, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Ray Francis, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Herman Howard, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Calvin Wilson, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Shawn Walker, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Ming Smith, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Beuford Smith, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Herb Robinson, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Herbie Randall, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Jimmie Mannas, 1972; Vitrine: Anthony Barboza, Kamoinge Artists’ Book, 1972. Right wall, from left to right: C. Daniel Dawson, Grandma Thomas, 1968; Shawn Walker, Boy with Banana by the Window, Bronx, NY, 1966; Shawn Walker, Harlem, 117th Street, c. 1960. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). Left wall, from left to right, top to bottom: Al Fennar, Caddy, 1965; Anthony Barboza, NYC, c. 1970s; Shawn Walker, Easter Sunday, Harlem (125th Street), 1972; Anthony Barboza, NYC, c. 1970s; Ming Smith, Amen Corner Sisters, Harlem, NY, c. 1976. Middle wall, clockwise from far left: Kamoinge Workshop, Kamoinge Workshop Portfolio No. 1 (cover), 1964; Shawn Walker, Untitled, 1964; Calvin Wilson, Untitled, 1964; Al Fennar, Untitled, 1964; James M. Mannas Jr., Untitled, 1964; Herman Howard, Untitled, 1964; Herbert Randall, Harlem, New York, 1964; Vitrine: Kamoinge Workshop, Kamoinge Workshop Portfolio No. 2, 1965. Right wall, clockwise from top left: C. Daniel Dawson, Chas. Oyama Gordon, 1970; Ming Smith, Sun Ra space II, New York City, New York, 1978; Beuford Smith, Two Bass Hit, Lower East Side, 1972; Anthony Barboza, Okra Orchestra, Brooklyn, NY Rehearsal, 1978; from left to right: Louis H. Draper, John Coltrane, 1960–67; Herb Robinson, Miles Davis at the Vanguard, 1961; Louis H. Draper, Miles Davis, 1966; Ray Francis, Baka, c. 1966–68; C. Daniel Dawson, Amiri #10, 1970; James M. Mannas Jr., Mama, 139 West 117 Street, Apt. 4E, Harlem, NYC, 1963; Shawn Walker, Mirror Reflection, Bronx, 1969; Adger Cowans, Momma’s Ohio Piano, c. 1965; Ray Francis, Herman Howard, 1971. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Herbert Randall, Untitled (Lower East Side, NY), c. 1960; Herbert Randall, Untitled (Lower East Side, New York), c. 1970s; Herbert Randall, Untitled (Lower East Side, New York), c. 1970s; Calvin Wilson, New York No. 1, c. 1960s; Beuford Smith, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, 1970; Beuford Smith, Brooklyn, NY, c. 1970. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right, top to bottom: Al Fennar, Caddy, 1965; Anthony Barboza, NYC, c. 1970s; Shawn Walker, Easter Sunday, Harlem (125th Street), 1972; Anthony Barboza, NYC, c. 1970s; Ming Smith, Amen Corner Sisters, Harlem, NY, c. 1976. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Adger Cowans, Far and Away, 1970; Herman Howard, New York, 1960s; C. Daniel Dawson, Gibson’s Victory, 1970; Ming Smith, America Seen through Stars and Stripes, New York City, New York, 1976; Beuford Smith, Angela Davis Rally, Central Park, NYC, 1972; Louis Draper, Congressional Gathering, 1959; Anthony Barboza, Pensacola, Florida, 1966; Adger Cowans, Jackson Mississippi, 1963. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Herb Robinson, Faces, 1979; Herb Robinson, Central Park, Kids, 1961; Ray Francis, Untitled (water image), n.d.; Al Fennar, Sphere, 1974; Al Fennar, Salt Pile, 1971; Adger Cowans, Egg Nude, 1958; C. Daniel Dawson, Backscape #1, 1967; Anthony Barboza, At the Met, Ming, 1974; Anthony Barboza, Grace Jones, c. 1970; James M. Mannas Jr., No Way Out, Harlem, NYC, 1964; Beuford Smith, Self-Portrait in Waterfall, NYC, 1970s; Beuford Smith, Wall, Lower East Side, 1972; Adger Cowans, Far and Away, 1970; Herman Howard, New York, 1960s. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Louis H. Draper, Congressional Gathering, 1959; Anthony Barboza, Pensacola, Florida, 1966; Adger Cowans, Jackson Mississippi, 1963; Shawn Walker, Tiffany’s Window on 57th Street, NYC, c. 1968–72; Herman Howard, New York, 1963; Al Fennar, Out of the Dark / Bowery, 1967; Ming Smith, Untitled (Harlem, NY), c. 1973; Adger Cowans, Shadows, 1966; Anthony Barboza, Self-Portrait, NYC, c. 1978; Beuford Smith, Boy on Swing, Lower East Side, 1970; Shawn Walker, Man with Bubble, Central Park (near Bandshell), c. 1960–79; Shawn Walker, Soho Display Window, NYC, c. 1970s; Herbert Randall, Untitled (New Jersey), 1960s; Louis H. Draper, Untitled (Santos), 1967; Louis H. Draper, Untitled, c. 1960. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Louis H. Draper, Girl and Cuba (Philadelphia), 1968; C. Daniel Dawson, Olaifa and Egypt, 1978; Shawn Walker, Women in the Field, Cuba, 1968; Shawn Walker, Boys with Cups, Cuba, 1968; Herb Robinson, Brother & Sister, 1973; Herb Robinson, Shelly, 1965; Herb Robinson, Bus Stop, Kingston, Jamaica, 1973; Herb Robinson, Robin (Jamaica), 1973; Louis H. Draper, (Cinema Poster), Dakar Senegal, West Africa, 1978; Anthony Barboza, Fadiouth, Senegal, 1972; Ming Smith, Onlookers, Isle de Gorée, Senegal, c. 1972; James M. Mannas Jr., Bag Ladies, Matthews Ridge, Guyana, 1972; James M. Mannas Jr., Peeping Seawall Beach Boy-Sea Wall, Georgetown, Guyana, 1972; James M. Mannas Jr., Recess, Bishops All Girls High School, Georgetown, Guyana, 1973; Herman Howard, Guyana, 1970s. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: James M. Mannas Jr., Bag Ladies, Matthew Ridge, Guyana, 1972; James M. Mannas Jr., Peeping Seawall Beach Boy-Sea Wall, Georgetown, Guyana, 1972; James M. Mannas Jr., Recess, Bishops All Girls High School, Georgetown, Guyana, 1973; Herman Howard, Guyana, 1970s; Herb Robinson, Faces, 1979; Herb Robinson, Central Park, Kids, 1961. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, November 21, 2020–March 28, 2021). From left to right: Herbert Randall, Untitled (Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Freedom Summer), 1964; Herbert Randall, Untitled (Palmers Crossing, Mississippi), 1964; Louis H. Draper, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mississippi, c. 1960; Shawn Walker, Two Kids in Front of Jax Beer, Mississippi, 1967; Herman Howard, March on Washington, 1963; Shawn Walker, Police in “Riot Gear” (Civil Defense Helmets) After Riot on 125th Street, Harlem, c. 1963; Louis H. Draper, Untitled (Black Muslims), 1960s; Beuford Smith, Porkchop Davis, 125th and Lenox Ave., 1965; Clockwise from top left: Beuford Smith, Malcolm X in front of Mr. Lewis Michaux’s bookstore, 1964, printed 2017; Adger Cowans, Malcolm Speaks, c. 1960–65; Adger Cowans, Betty Shabazz & Percy Sutton at Malcolm’s Funeral, 1965; Beuford Smith, Woman in Doorway, Harlem, 1965. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

In the News

"Through 140 photographs from 14 members . . . viewers see a raw and masterly portrait of day-to-day life for Black people in [this] country."—WNET All Arts

"[These] photographs show a world we’ve left behind, and highlight the importance of legacy and holding on to your history."—BuzzFeed News

"Working Together highlights the importance of self-representation."—Hyperallergic

"Working Together locks the visitor into the present through contemplation of the past."—W Magazine

"Working Together is a highlight among recent exhibitions in New York."—The Art Newspaper

"Each photographer's individualistic approach in the series provides a compelling and poetic perspective of the 1960s and 1970s as they narrate lived experiences through their lens."—Metal

"Taken collectively, [these photographs are] an enduring testament to what it means to function as a community of artists."—Architectural Digest