“Too often, we see images of Black people in attitudes of despair, pain, or brutal isolation,” writes Teju Cole in the catalogue for Saatchi Gallery’s new show: As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic. Gathering a monumental body of work by Black artists from the Wedge Collection, it is testament to not only the strength and vulnerability of Black life but its exuberance and beauty, too.
“It is not that people are always in an attitude of celebration … that would be a reverse but corresponding falsehood – but rather that they are present as human beings, credible, fully engaged in their world.” Accordingly for such a mandate, As We Rise’s curation is anchored around several key themes: identity, community, and power. Portraiture is crucial for self-fashioning here, a tool for proud self-representation and agency.
Mickalene Thomas’s work reinterprets western art history by playing with imagery from blaxploitation films and Ebony and Jet magazines, using vibrant materials to explore beauty, race and gender whilst asserting the power of women in owning their sexuality. In Denver (2008), Xaviera Simmons looks at the human condition and the sublime – the idea of a holy presence to be found in nature. Other standouts include work from Carrie Mae Weems, Malick Sidibé and Texas Isaiah.
One of As We Rise’s most intriguing proclamations is that collecting can be a form of care. Concurrent with the rising accessibility of photography, the show assimilates pivotal moments in the Black diaspora, such as the civil rights movement and experiences of the Windrush generation. It reminds us that the act of collecting and curating art is more than just an aesthetic choice; it’s a commitment to preserving and honouring the richness of shared heritage and experiences.
Words: Katie Tobin
Saatchi Gallery, London | Until 20 January
Image Credits:
1. Kennedi Carter, Untitled (Self-Portrait), 2020.
2. Xaviera Simmons, Denver, 2008.
3. Texas Isaiah, My Name Is My Name I, 2016.
4. Dawit L. Petros, Hadenbes, 2005.
