“Our intention is to replenish those we’ve been nourished by,” say the founders of See In Black, a photo sale which celebrates the work of black image-makers and raises money for social justice charities
See In Black is a new photographic print sale which champions the work of black artists and raises money for vital charities which “support five key pillars of black advancement”: civil rights, education and arts, intersectionality, community building, and criminal justice reform. Compelled by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, Tony McDade and countless other members of the black community at the hands of police and state violence, See In Black founders Joshua Kissi and Micaiah Carter launched the sale last Friday, on Juneteenth, “as a platform for black people to stand proudly in their permanence”.
Not just a collection of image-makers, but “a coalition of black photographers who serve as storytellers of their own narratives”, See In Black features arresting work by over 70 black artists, including Quil Lemons, Joshua Woods, Lelanie Foster, Renell Medrano, Adrienne Raquel, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Texas Isaiah, Dana Scruggs, and more. “We are artists and archivists,” explain Kissi and Carter. “We do not merely make images of black figures, we document history that is often unrecorded with intentionality, respect, nuance, and care.”
Each print costs $100 (plus tax and shipping fees), with 100 per cent of proceeds going to five charities which collectively aim to combat and dismantle systemic racism – Know Your Rights Camp, Youth Empowerment Project, National Black Justice Coalition, Black Futures Lab, and The Bail Project. Working alongside Artifact Uprising, the images are produced using a professional-grade giclée print process on archival fine art paper, which renders prints with a rich and lifelike depth of colour.
“Through the sale of highly curated original images from black photographers, we raise funds to support causes that align with our vision of black prosperity,” reads a statement on the See In Black website. “We stand in solidarity with our greater black family to take immediate action for the improvement of black lives. Our intention is to replenish those we’ve been nourished by.”
The See In Black print sale runs until July 3, 2020.
