The vantage point of Black women photographers is on full display at a new art exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Titled Black Gaze: Through a Woman’s Eyes, the exhibition features the work of seven Black women photographers. It is being displayed at The Light Factory in Charlotte and is the second installment of the Black Gaze series.
The works included in the free exhibition focus on the viewpoint of Black women. The photographers pull inspiration from their hometowns, careers, and even Black women’s connection with nature.
A First For Some
Speaking to QCity Metro, Director of Exhibitions at The Light Factory, Brittani Taylor, said that the exhibit is the first time many of the photographers have ever shown their works publicly on a large scale.
Photographers in the exhibition include Merisa Ari, Deven Talford, Daija Peeler, Mariah Tyes, Veronica C. Ruston, Trinity Thompson, Lisa Brown, and Brittani Taylor.
The Light Factory showed some behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram of the work that went into putting the final touches on the exhibition. The video footage showed the team framing the women’s works and figuring out the pricing for the pieces.
Growing Through Mentorship
The exhibition is led by photographer Titus Heagins. The veteran photog crafted the exhibition as part of a larger 10-month mentorship program that the participating photographers also were a part of. The program included workshops and group meetings. The goal is to help the participants build a portfolio and sharpen their photography skills.
Heagins launched the mentorship program due to the lack of resources and support that exists for Black photographers as they make their way through their creative careers.
“This American notion of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps… that’s all a fiction,” Heagins told QCity Metro. “People get to where they are because someone shows them the path.”
The first Black Gaze exhibition was held back in 2022. But the current installment is the first to feature all women photographers.