An exhibition celebrating work by groundbreaking African American artist Gordon Parks, who used his camera to confront racism and also represent creativity and endurance.

This installation foregounds the significance of portraits—of known, infamous, or anonymous subjects—to Parks’ documentary work. The artist honed his direct visual style during World War II. He learned to anticipate critical moments and invest information in the body, through its gestures and physical context. The volatile civil rights era further sharpened and refined his voice while continuing to expose the deep roots of contemporary racism and economic inequity in the United States. Parks’ portraits and close figure studies offered clear and personal views into black American life. The persuasive humanity of the images is a testament to Parks’ capacity to create objective and documentary art while also motivating social change.

IMAGE: Gordon Parks (U.S.A., 1912–2006), Emerging Man, 1952. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of and © The Gordon Parks Foundation. The Capital Group Foundation Photography Collection at Stanford University

MUSEUM HOURS: WED-SUN, 11AM-5PM. CLOSED MON AND TUES