Kamoinge Workshop facts for kids
The Kamoinge Workshop is a special group of photographers. They started in 1963. This group is known for being the longest-running non-profit photography group ever! It began when two groups of African-American photographers decided to work together. One group was called Kamoinge, started by Louis Draper, James "Jimmie" Mannas, Al Fennar, and Herbert Randall. The other group was Group 35, with photographers like Ray Francis and Earl Jones. Louis Draper was very important in starting the whole workshop. Roy DeCarava was the first leader, from 1963 to 1965.
What Does Kamoinge Mean?
Al Fennar suggested the name Kamoinge. He got the idea from a book called Facing Mount Kenya by Jomo Kenyatta. The word Kamoinge comes from the Kikuyu language, spoken in Kenya. It means "a group of people who are working together."
The group wanted to create a supportive place for artists. They aimed to show black life through their photos. They wanted to capture all the different experiences. Kamoinge member Deborah Willis said their photos are like "a mosaic of the black experience." The group works to show black life in a real and complex way. They avoid stereotypes.
Who Joined Kamoinge?
In late 1963, more photographers joined Kamoinge. These included Herb Robinson, David Carter, Adger Cowans, and Anthony Barboza. Beuford Smith became a member in 1965. The first woman to join was Ming Smith in 1972. C. Daniel Dawson also joined that year.
Later, in 2001, Collette V. Fournier, Budd Williams, and Eli Reed were invited. In 2003, Spencer Burnett, June Truesdale, and Gerald Cyrus joined. More members joined in 2004 and 2005. Anthony Barboza became the president of Kamoinge in 2004. By 2014, Kamoinge had 30 members in total.
Exhibitions and Projects
Kamoinge members showed their work in many places. From 1964 to 1965, they had two shows. These were called Theme Black and The Negro Woman. They were held in a Harlem brownstone on Strivers Row.
Since 1963, their photos have been shown in famous places. These include the International Center of Photography and the Countee Cullen Library. Their work was also at the Studio Museum in Harlem. The group also gave talks and published many photo collections.
In their first year, Kamoinge created fifteen photo portfolios. Ten of these were sent to universities like The University of Ghana and Howard University. They also went to museums like the Museum of Modern Art.
In 1965, Roy DeCarava had his own show. It was called US at the Countee Cullen Library. In 1969, he had another show at the Studio Museum. It was called Through Black Eyes. This show explored the black experience in America.
In 1972, Joe Walker, Joe Crawford, and Beuford Smith started publishing Kamoinge's work. This was in the Black Photographers Annual. This publication had four volumes. It included artists from all over the United States.
In 1974, some Kamoinge photos were shown at the International Center of Photography. This helped the group become more well-known.
From 1998 to 1999, Kamoinge worked with the Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship (IYE). This happened thanks to Kamoinge member Shawn Walker.
In 2001, Anthony Barboza and Beuford Smith helped with a big exhibit. It was at the Brooklyn Museum. The exhibit was called “Committed to the Image: A Half Century of Black Photography in America."
In 2004, Kamoinge Inc. published their first book. It was titled The Sweet Breath of Life. In 2006, Mark Blackshear from Kamoinge helped create an exhibit. It was called “Black Music” for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
In 2007, an exhibit called “Revealing the Face of Katrina” opened. It showed photos about Hurricane Katrina. Kamoinge members Radcliffe Roye, C. Daniel Dawson, Russel Frederick, and John Pinderhughes organized it. A second showing happened in 2009.
In 2013, a book called Timeless: Photographs of Kamoinge was published. Anthony Barboza, Herb Robinson, Quincy Troupe, and Vincent Alabiso worked on it. The group had been putting the book together since 2010.
A new exhibition called “Working Together: The Photographers of the Kamoinge Workshop” will open. It will be at the Whitney Museum of American Art from July to October 2020. This show will focus on the early years of the Kamoinge Workshop. It will highlight important works by the founding members. The exhibition will also be shown at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
