Gordon Parks

Segregation Series
January 11 – March 1

A man and a woman viewing an artwork in a gallery. the man wears a cap, and the woman has curly hair. they are both focused on a framed painting of a group of people. the gallery wall is dimly lit.
A poignant scene showing two real children peering into a display filled with mannequins dressed in mid-20th century clothing, depicting a museum exhibit about historical social settings.
A black family stands outside a segregated ice cream parlor with a "white only" sign, reflecting on social exclusion amid colorful dessert adverts.
A collage of twelve black-and-white historical photos depicting scenes of segregation, including signs for racially segregated facilities, family portraits, and daily life in various settings across america.
People viewing and discussing photographs at an art gallery exhibition with framed pictures on white walls, and refreshments available on a central table.
Group of people viewing and discussing framed artworks in a gallery setting.
People viewing paintings at an art gallery. some stand close to the wall examining artworks, while others converse in pairs in a warmly lit corridor.
Two men viewing framed photographs on a gallery wall, one in a black coat and hat, and the other in a green jacket and yellow cap.
People viewing artwork at a gallery exhibition, some are standing still while others are walking through the space, creating a blurred motion effect.
Black and white photograph framed and hanging on a wall, depicting a woman reclining on a floral couch, appearing contemplative. the room features subtle decorations and a patterned rug.
A framed black-and-white photo of a shirtless man sitting on an ornate couch covered with patterned fabrics, holding a small bouquet of flowers. his expression is contemplative.

Press Release

Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present the Segregation Series portfolio by Gordon Parks. A humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice and a seminal figure of 20th century photography, Gordon Parks gave the world a body of work that documents some of the most important aspects of American culture. From the early 1940’s up until his death in 2006, Parks focused his lens on race relations, poverty, Civil Rights, and urban life.

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. Over the course of several weeks, Parks photographed the everyday activities of the extended Thorton family living in the rural south. He also documented segregated facilities and their signage, the most visually divisive result of Jim Crow laws. This trip resulted in a photo essay entitled Restraints: Open and Hidden featured in Life’s September 1956 issue. Recently The Gordon Parks Foundation discovered over 70 unpublished photographs at the bottom of an old storage box wrapped in paper and released twelve of these images for the Segregation Series portfolio. These photographs give us a glimpse into the everyday lives of African Americans during the 1950’s. The images are also in full color, something rarely seen in photographs from that era.

In the back gallery, we are showing two photographs by New York based artist Mickalene Thomas. These texturally rich photographs allude to iconic paintings by Manet, Matisse and Gauguin and are her exploration of identity, race, and womanhood. Thomas creates magnetic depictions of powerful women that illustrate her relationships to art history and contemporary culture at large. Her work has been shown at The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Brooklyn Museum of Art among others.

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

Dates: January 11–March 1, 2014
Reception: February 1, 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
Mickalene Thomas