Gordon Parks and Rania Matar

Exposure
June 13 – July 24

A framed photograph by Gordon Parks of a man wearing a red hat, leaning against a wooden wall and looking out from an open window. His expression is thoughtful, gazing towards a misty exterior.
A framed photo by Gordon Parks shows a young man sitting on a folding chair, absorbed in reading a book. In the background, two other individuals converse on a bed in a modest room with wood-paneled walls.
A young child stands in front of a wall covered with vibrant, weathered music and event posters, wearing a striped red and white top and black pants with red accents. the child gazes directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
A young girl stands in front of a colorful mural featuring childlike drawings of other children. she wears a blue dress and patterned leggings, appearing thoughtful.
A young girl stands beside a large, worn mirror leaning against a textured wall, reflecting her younger self. she wears a red t-shirt and patterned leggings, looking directly at the camera.
A young girl in traditional attire stands against a wall covered in colorful posters, looking directly at the camera.
A weathered urban wall with the word "invasion" spray-painted in large, bold letters, surrounded by various other graffiti and tattered posters.
A young woman wearing a patterned hijab and a blue dress stands in front of a closed metal shutter, looking directly at the camera.
A young boy stands in front of a red corrugated metal background, wearing a green hoodie and grey pants. he has a solemn expression and holds a small white object in his right hand.
A young boy stands in front of a wall featuring graffiti art; artwork includes a figure in a suit with a red balloon and vibrant splashes of paint.
Dimly lit art gallery interior with a series of framed photographs evenly spaced on white walls, a bench on the left, and subtle overhead lighting.
A dimly lit art gallery with an off-white corridor displaying framed photographs on the right wall, each illuminated by individual spotlights.
An art gallery interior featuring white walls, several framed paintings displayed under soft lighting, and partial views of sculptures.
An art gallery interior with dim lighting, featuring artwork displayed on white walls and a bench in the center of the room.
An indoor corridor with artwork on the walls, blue carpeted floors, and a seating area with chairs on the right side, illuminated by natural light from windows.
A softly lit interior of a gallery with artwork hanging on the walls, featuring a tranquil and serene atmosphere. the space includes seating areas and clear glass doors.
A gallery wall displaying two framed photographs, one showing a graffiti-covered wall and the other featuring a person standing, with an informative plaque beside them.
An art gallery with white walls, displaying two framed photographs illuminated by spotlights, with large windows showing the outdoors on the left side.
Art gallery interior with a spacious room displaying framed artworks on light-colored walls, a desk at the back, and a large window overlooking an outdoor area.
A spacious art gallery with white walls displaying framed pictures; a reflective table in the foreground and visible street view through a doorway.
Two framed photographs hung on a gallery wall, one showing a person in monochrome with a splash of red, and the other featuring a person posed by a textured wall. a bench with a reflection of one photo is in the foreground.
An art gallery interior featuring a clean, well-lit space with framed artworks displayed on white walls, and a mirrored table with wheels in the foreground.
A diverse group of people, including a smiling woman in a black dress, socializing and viewing artwork in a well-lit gallery space.
Visitors viewing various framed artworks in a spacious, well-lit art gallery with white walls and grey flooring.
A couple views framed photographs on a gallery wall, observing the artwork in a spacious, well-lit room.
Three people, one using a walking stick, are viewing framed photographs in an art gallery, standing at various distances from the wall.
Several people, including a man standing at a table with flowers, are exploring an art gallery with various framed artworks on the walls, in a well-lit, modern space.
A framed photograph hanging on a gallery wall depicting a person in a striped shirt and jeans, wearing a mask. the wall is illuminated softly, with the word "exposure" displayed to the right.

Press Release

Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present Exposure, an exhibition of selected photographs by Gordon Parks and Rania Matar. Each photographer presents a deeply humanitarian perspective to human rights conflicts both past and present. This show is in collaboration with PhotoSummer 2015, a series of public programs in Albuquerque and Santa Fe that focus on contemporary photography spanning regional, national and international artists, curators and scholars.

From the early 1940’s up until his death in 2006, Gordon Parks directed his lens toward race relations, poverty, and urban life in America. In the wake of the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, Life Magazine asked Parks to go and document the racial tensions and discrimination embedded there. This trip resulted in a photo essay entitled Restraints: Open and Hidden featured in Life’s September 1956 issue. While on assignment, Parks also recorded the daily lives of the local African American community. Over 70 unpublished photographs were recently discovered in his personal archives and posthumously released as the Segregation Series. Each image is printed in full color, something rarely seen in photographs of that era. In the context of contemporary time, the Segregation Series shows the social conditions preceding the Civil Rights movements of the 20th century. Exposure includes five selections from this project.

Today, Rania Matar photographs Syrian refugee children living in her hometown of Beirut. In her series, Invisible Children, she captures portraits of these children who often go unseen while begging for work to help their displaced families. Matar puts a face to this present humanitarian crisis by capturing each child and their individual identities. Matar currently teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.

Additional information and images for this exhibition can be found on our website at www.levygallery.com

High-resolution images are available on request. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @levygallery 

Dates: June 13–July 24, 2015
Reception: June 19, 6–8 pm
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–4 pm
Location: 514 Central Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Contact: 505.766.9888, info@levygallery.com, www.levygallery.com @levygallery

Artwork and Information
Gordon Parks
Rania Matar