Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People

This documentary is a surprising blend of art history, personal essay, and social critique. You'll learn about many photographers, including some you may not already know. There are interviews with (or remarks about) many artists, including James VanDerZee, the celebrated photographer of the Harlem Renaissance; Gordon Parks, whose great images from Life magazine will be familiar to many; Carrie Mae Weems; Lyle Ashton Harris; Glenn Ligon; and Renee Cox, among others. There are also interviews with historians such as Robin D. G. Kelley. In total, the interviewees offer many insightful remarks about what photography is, and what it can do. Seeing so many unfamiliar and, in most cases, beautiful images, from the time when photography began up to the present, you are sure to be touched and amazed. And the director's personal story will move you, too. This thoughtful film is a treasure, not to be missed!