Little Black Boy
Little Black Boy
Rashod Taylor Photography Solo show
Rashod Taylor’s photographs are deeply rooted in photographic traditions and break new ground. Intimacy and honesty speak to an under-addressed chapter of the United States: the Black American experience, particularly the relationship between father and son. Taylor’s Little Black Boy series is at once common and radical. Taylor is attached to analog photographic practice- the large format camera, the slowing down and honoring of the moment, and the attraction to rich the lush prints produced from his home darkroom. All such factors underline his sentimentality, thoughtfulness, and ally him to the history of family portraiture while adding to its legacy- its future. Taylor follows in a line of such family portraiture influences as Sally Mann, Larry Sultan, and Nicholas Nixon. While Taylor nods at such inspirations, he creates a path of his own. Scenes in Taylor’s Little Black Boy photographs are often ubiquitous, their depiction on the other hand has not been.
“My work addresses themes of race, culture, family, and legacy and these images are a kind of family album, filled with friends and family, birthdays, vacations, and everyday life. At the same time, these images tell you more than my family story; they’re a window onto the Black American experience,” said Taylor. “As I document my son, I am interested in examining his childhood and the world he navigates.”
Taylor will also participate in two open-to-the-the public events:
- Artist Talk: Astroth Community Education Center Auditorium, April 11 at 11:00 a.m.
- Reception: Joe McCauley Gallery, April 11 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.