Dear Shaded Viewers,
The upcoming Colored Black Dennis Morris exhibition, first shown in April at Kyotographie, infused with the essence of agnès b.’s patronage, is destined to migrate to the esteemed Galerie du Jour, in sync with Paris’s celebration of the photographic arts. This isn’t your typical gallery display. It’s an odyssey—a passage through time and tide, delving into the heart of the Caribbean diaspora that pulsed through East London’s veins in the ’60s and ’70s.
Post-WWII Britain was a nation in need of mending, extending an invitation to its Commonwealth kin to breathe new life into its tired streets. The Jamaican response was robust, embarking on voyages with visions of prosperity on the horizon. They were pioneers of the ‘Windrush generation,’ charting courses through unsteady seas to the British isles.
Enter Dennis Morris—a child of Jamaica, a voyager who, alongside his mother, joined this exodus in the swinging sixties. It was a blend of hymns and humanity that unveiled the world of photography to Morris, thanks to the generosity of one Donald Paterson. Morris didn’t just take pictures; he captured the essence of existence, the vibrant lifeblood of his community against the grayscale backdrop of London.
Morris’s lens tells a story of relentless optimism and unwavering ambition. His photographs are a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Caribbean immigrants, a narrative of transformation from subjects of color to figures of black identity, embracing their roots with unapologetic pride and a resolute stance.
Over a hundred photographs, archives, and texts traverse this catalog overseen by Dennis Morris. This unique item, produced in Japan for the Kyotographie 2023 exhibition, is reissued for La Fab. and will be available exclusively at the bookstore! Price: €25
ABOUT LA FAB. La Fab., the site of the agnès b. endowment fund, opened its doors in January 2020 at the heart of a new Paris, Place Jean-Michel Basquiat in the 13th district. La Fab. houses the Librairie du Jour and two exhibition spaces: one dedicated to agnès b.’s contemporary art collection and the Galerie du Jour. The layout was designed by agnès b. in collaboration with the architect Augustin Rosensthiehl.
Later,
Diane
