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Kimberly Pirtle
Tell me about your first memory of seeing Gordon Parks’ work and how that eventually led to your involvement with the Gordon Parks Foundation.
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
I grew up knowing Gordon Parks as a young boy. He was my grandfather’s best friend, so he would visit my family home. My grandfather was the managing editor of Life magazine, and he worked for many, many decades with Gordon. He assigned Gordon some of his greatest stories.
I’ve taken my role at the Gordon Parks Foundation very personally. Gordon and my grandfather, Phil Kunhardt, started the Gordon Parks Foundation to preserve his legacy and support the next generation of artists. Gordon and my grandfather died two weeks apart in March of 2006, so ever since then I’ve been following in their footsteps. It’s been a privilege for me to watch the foundation evolve over these years, and to continue to see the relevancy and the power of Gordon Parks.
“Gordon was able to capture humanity and elevate the voices of so many people who weren’t always given opportunities to share their stories.”
Kimberly Pirtle
For readers who may be unfamiliar with Parks’ work, what was so significant about his photography? What impact did it have at the time, and why is it still so important for us to sustain his legacy today?
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
Gordon was the first Black photographer on the staff of Life magazine. He was born and raised in Fort Scott, KS, the youngest of 15 children. He worked for the Farm Security Administration after receiving the very first Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1941, which allowed him to move to Washington, DC, to pursue photography.
Gordon was able to capture humanity and elevate the voices of so many people who weren’t always given opportunities to share their stories. And through his positions at the FSA, and Vogue and Life magazines, he was able to show America in the harshest conditions.
Kimberly Pirtle
That’s beautifully put. How does the foundation carry on that legacy today?
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
We work with museums, publish books and grant fellowships and scholarships in order to keep Gordon’s vibrant legacy front and center. Our fellowship program is inspired by that Julius Rosenwald Fellowship that Gordon received in 1941 – it awards $25,000 grants to three artists and writers each year. We also have a scholarship program to support students.
Our newest initiative, launched just this year, is the Gordon Parks Legacy Acquisition Fund, which supports mid-to-late-career artists with $25,000 grants towards acquiring work for the Gordon Parks Foundation’s permanent collection. The fund supports artists who have not necessarily received the recognition that they’ve deserved over the course of their careers – artists who follow in the footsteps of Gordon Parks in that way. This year, two exceptional photographers have received the very first Gordon Parks Legacy Acquisition Fund award: LeRoy Henderson, a photojournalist based in Brooklyn, and Mikki Ferrill, a California-based photographer.
Kimberly Pirtle
And how does the foundation’s annual gala support Parks’ work? What do you enjoy most about it?
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
Our gala is our homecoming – filled with like-minded people coming together for one night to celebrate Gordon’s vision and the mission of the foundation. Many people who’ve attended over the last 17 years knew Gordon personally, so it’s very much about shoring up his legacy and thinking about how to pass on his passion for social justice and arts activism.
Gordon really believed in the power of the future. The gala is not just about art; it’s about fashion, culture, style, music, film and all these other creative realms. It’s a true melting pot.
Kimberly Pirtle
This year the gala is honoring Rashid Johnson, Anna Wintour, Bethann Hardison and Ambassador Andrew Young. Past honorees have included Colin Kaepernick, Mickalene Thomas, Angela Davis, Alicia Keys and Kasseem Dean, Amy Sherald, Mark Bradford, Raf Simmons, Chelsea Clinton and so many more. That’s quite an impressive group! Tell me about how the foundation selects its honorees each year.
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
It’s always such a hard task because there are so many talented people in the world who are doing great things. The gala really strives to recognize standout achievements by great individuals. In the past that’s included people such as the great Bryan Stevenson, who runs the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, AL, not to mention Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective, arts patrons Judy and Leonard Lauder, filmmaker Spike Lee and Karl Lagerfeld, whose fashion brilliance transcends time. We’ve even honored the remarkable late Congressman John Lewis, who captivated the whole room when he spoke about his decades of activism fighting injustice and getting into good trouble.
It’s an eclectic group, but what unites them is how they all embody ideas and virtues that Gordon held dear. This year, one of our honorees is activist and fashion model Bethann Hardison, who’s been a friend of the foundation for many years. Anna Wintour, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, has been very generous with her time, and Gordon Parks was the first Black photographer to work for Vogue back in the 1940s. Rashid Johnson is an incredible artist with a major retrospective open now at the Guggenheim. Last but not least is Ambassador Andrew Young, who, at 94 years old, was a friend of Gordon’s and boasts a truly remarkable career fighting for civil rights.
Kimberly Pirtle
Of course, the gala is accompanied by a benefit auction, which is where Sotheby’s comes in. We’re honored to again support the auction this year, and I’m personally thrilled to be picking up the gavel from Hugh Hildesley, who conducted the event in years past. Tell us about some of the exciting works that will be on offer.
Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr.
The gala auction is an opportunity for collectors and supporters to gain a level of access to a Gordon’s work that can’t be achieved anywhere else for one evening. Real treasures go up for sale, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the foundation’s programs.
If I could highlight just one lot, it would be a large print from Gordon’s 1956 story on segration in the South. This photograph is entitled “Department Store, Mobile, Alabama.” This is a rare print of Joanne Wilson standing beneath the colored entrance sign of a store with her niece. Gordon took the photo in 1956, and it remains so relevant today.
For auction inquires, please reach out to pwk@mkfound.org.
