One of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, Gordon Parks (1912-2006) was also renowned as a poet, filmmaker, author, composer, and activist. He is best known for his photojournalism from the 1940s to the 1970s that documented American life and culture, particularly the experiences of African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement.
“Presenting this important work by Gordon Parks not only affirms our commitment to world-class exhibitions but also continues our ongoing work to engage with our broader community and partners,” says Philbrook CEO and President Megan Whittaker Nesbit.
Highlighting the life and career of Parks, Homeward to the Prairie I Come showcases poetry and prose by the artist alongside images from his gift to Kansas State University that convey a wide range of artistic ideas. The exhibition features more than seventy photographs, including images captured by Parks for photojournalism and fashion assignments at LIFE magazine, striking portraits of prominent figures such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, as well as examples of his experimental photography.
“Visitors to the exhibition will experience the multifaceted work of Parks and discover how the visionary artist used different forms of art to tell deeply human stories and highlight social injustice,” says Guest Exhibition Curator Jessica Provencher. “Whether you are drawn to photography, poetry, or film, you’ll find powerful images and stories in this exhibition that speak to both the pain and beauty of the human experience—and to Parks’ lasting impact.”
Alongside the works on loan from the Beach Museum will be a recent Philbrook acquisition, Park’s iconic 1942 photograph, American Gothic, a reimagining of Grant Wood’s 1930 painting of the same name.
This exhibition features photographs selected and donated by Parks to Kansas State University in 1973. Becoming a kind of self-portrait, the gift expresses wide-ranging artistic ideas beyond documentary photography. “Homeward to the prairie I come” is the first line of a poem that Kansas native Gordon Parks wrote in 1984. It was part of a commission from a local newspaper for a special insert to celebrate its centennial. Parks visited Manhattan, Kansas, in 1984 for the commission and returned in 1985 for a second residency. These activities exemplify the many relationships Parks forged in his home state during his career.
This exhibition features photographs selected and donated by Parks to Kansas State University in 1973 after he received an honorary doctorate degree there. The gift includes not only images from stories published in LIFE magazine, such as those of the da Silva and Fontenelle families, but also experimental ones, such as the multiple exposure The Stranger and Table in Snow, a study in subtle variations of white.
In addition, Parks created new narratives and thematic groups from such assignments as Paris fashions, Fort Scott Revisited, and Muhammad Ali to reflect his thoughts on photography as a fine art medium and his work vis à vis celebrated paintings and sculptures. As a result, the gift becomes a kind of self-portrait expressing Parks’ wide-ranging artistic ideas beyond documentary photography.
Most significantly, the photographs instigate cultural change by challenging viewers to imagine a more inclusive culture than the one they know: a world where Black skin represents ideal beauty, where an African American athlete embodies the exemplary hero, and where an artist of African heritage has a place within the lineage of excellent artists in Western art history.
An open-access digital catalog accompanies this exhibition.
