The Bed-Stuy Family Photo Day hosted its third annual program at the Richard Beavers Gallery on Aug. 23. The photo day highlights how an art gallery can fight against white hegemony in the art world and stay rooted in its mission to Black diasporic upliftment by producing a family-friendly and inclusive grassroots event.
Family Photo Day celebrates and preserves the legacy of Black families through portraiture, allowing each family to receive a professional portrait that captures a moment in time. Each of the 50 families received a printed family portrait shot by one of the professional photographers, serving as a reminder of the joy, laughter and connection they share.
“This is a throwback to those childhood pictures where you would dress up, and you go to church, and you take pictures on the lawn, or you put on your Sunday best, and you go to a professional photography studio," said Monica Langham, director of Richard Beavers Gallery. "We want families in the community to have that kind of access again, a moment in time that they can remember and a special place that they take it at."
Langham said the event was created to bring back the tradition of professional family photography, and is expanding to cities beyond Brooklyn.
Kassidy Monique Charles, communications associate at Richard Beavers Gallery and event coordinator for this year's photo day, described the atmosphere as a combination of a family reunion and community fair, with local businesses and artists contributing to the experience.
"We've got Poise record shop from Malcolm X Boulevard spinning vinyl today, we have Soul Cafe serving up a specialty Richard Beavers cocktail of vanilla Rubio's tea mixed with lemonade," said Charles. "And then we also have Chremia doing live watercolor portraits of the families. So it's kind of like a family reunion but also a fair at the same time.”
The event featured an instant photography activation with Sounds of Spotlight and a live portrait drawing station with Chremia Lucas for families that were not able to sign up for one of the scheduled shoot times. Five photographers took family portraits during the event, while two videographers documented the day.
The gallery, founded in 2007, represents artists such as Leroy Campbell, Frank Morrison and Brittsense. It provides a vital platform for emerging and mid-career Black artists underrepresented in the traditional art market.
The portrait opportunity brought out a smiling cross-section of native New Yorkers and recent transplants. Each of the 50 families was aware that the activation celebrates and preserves the legacy of Black families through portraiture. Yet, in the true nature of an inclusive environment, family was self-defined, as some took photos with parents, siblings or friends and the portrait subjects ranged in race and ethnicity.
Audrey, who is originally from California and now lives in Brooklyn, said she learned about Bed-Stuy Family Photo Day through her friend who was a photographer at the event. “It was a really wonderful event," she said. "Got our photo taken, got to check out cool art, had a lovely time.”
Elena, originally from Michigan, now lives in the Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy area. She said she came along with a friend to the event and was particularly moved by the atmosphere. "I’ve heard about GrowHouse before," she said. "I’ve never been able to explore the space or go to any of the events. So being in this area, being able to see it was really wonderful. So I’m very grateful.”
Brooklyn resident Nzinga Darden was another portrait subject, who especially enjoyed the event’s creative programming and said she looks forward to returning. “My experience here was lovely," she said. "My only problem, regret, is that I didn't get to bring my son. He's out of town right now. But this was a nice, lovely event. I really enjoyed it."
