Ming Smith
'Prodigal Son - Harlem, for Oprah' (from the Invisible Man series)
Lot Closed
April 5, 06:08 PM GMT
Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Ming Smith
B. 1950
'Prodigal Son - Harlem, for Oprah' (from the Invisible Man series)
gelatin silver print, signed, titled, and dated in ink on the reverse, 1986; accompanied by a Steven Kasher gallery label (2)
image: 4 ½ by 6 ¼ in. (11.4 by 15.9 cm.)
Steven Kasher Gallery, New York, 2017
"The best thing photography has given to me is my memory. Looking through my contacts, it’s like I was right there. I can go back and remember exactly that moment, the feeling – it’s like a visual memory," Ming Smith notes. "My camera became my best friend – photography is very healing." Smith’s work grapples with the concepts of visibility and invisibility, truth, and personal history, aiming to shed light on black culture and experience. "I wasn’t sure if anyone would see my photographs while I was still alive," the photographer mused. "Maybe the world’s ready for me now." Ming Smith was one of the 2023 recipients of the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement.
