Gordon Parks: American Gothic
This week, a photography book giveaway focused on Gordon Parks' landmark documentary study of Ella Watson. Who wants it?
Using my camera effectively against intolerance was not so easy as I had assumed it would be. One evening, when Stryker and I were in the office alone, I confessed this to him. “Then at least you have learned the most important lesson,” he said. He thought for a moment, got up and looked down the corridor, then called me to his side. There was a Negro charwoman mopping the floor. “Go have a talk with her before you go home this evening. See what she has to say about life and things. You might find her interesting.” Gordon Parks, A Choice of Weapons, 1966
It’s time for another giveaway.
I like to do this now and again — promote the books that catch my eye with a giveaway. It’s a fun way to spotlight a publication that deserves attention and give something meaningful to some of my most engaged readers.
I’m excited about this week’s giveaway because it’s a gorgeous piece of work from one of America’s greatest photographers about a critical topic. I’m sure many of you are familiar with Gordon Parks. I still have much to learn about him, and American Gothic: Gordon Parks and Ella Watson is a terrific place to start.
Here’s how Steidl describes the book:
American Gothic, Gordon Parks’ 1942 portrait of government worker Ella Watson is among the most celebrated photographs of the twentieth century. Created as part of an extensive collaboration between the photographer and his subject, it is at once a record of one woman’s position within the racial, professional and economic hierarchies that stratified the nation’s capital and Parks’ visual reckoning with the realities of living in racially segregated Washington, D.C.
Through his work with Watson — a custodian in the government building where he worked — Parks composed an intimate portrait of Black life by focusing on everyday activities, from work routines to family meals and church services. The resulting photographs trace a remarkably intimate portrait of Watson as a multidimensional figure cherished by her community and vitally important within the civic sphere.
American Gothic includes over 50 images, some never published before, and critical essays by Philip Brookman, Melanee C. Harvey, Casey Riley, Hank Willis Thomas, Salamishah Tillet, and Deborah Willis.
I’m learning a lot, and I know you will, too. At the bottom of this post, you can learn about the giveaway and how you can win. Everyone can participate this week: this giveaway is available to free and paid subscribers. If you like what I do with FlakPhoto, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
If you haven’t done so, please check out the Gordon Parks Foundation website. It’s a treasure trove of material about Parks’ photography. You can also follow the foundation on Instagram.
As it happens, the Minneapolis Institute of Art currently features an extensive exhibition of Parks’ work. American Gothic: Gordon Parks and Ella Watson opened in January and runs through June 23, 2024. I might need to make the trip up to Minneapolis to see it.
Tim Gihring wrote a piece about Parks in the MIA blog, which is worth a peek — Read The Minnesota Legacy of Gordon Parks, a Life of Seeing and Being Seen.
Win this book!
I want to get to know you better, dear readers. Submission is free and easy.
In the comments, tell me why you want this book for a chance to win. Are you a Gordon Parks fan? Are you a photographer? Be creative and have fun with this.
I'll draw two random winners from the comments on May 4, 2024, and announce them next week. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Take care!
Hi Andy, me again! I want recommend you to see "a choice of weapon" a documentary from hbo. It has very interesting info about Gordon works and talks about these photos you shared with us
I have a copy of A Choice Of Weapons I’ve been meaning to read. Parks was incredible!