Rashod Taylor

This celebration of modern photography features work by artists from 13 Midwest states, chosen by New York artist and publisher Kris Graves, who on “Festival Weekend,” Sept. 27-28, will give a welcome and talk during the opening reception (6-8 p.m., Sept. 27), lead a workshop (9 a.m., Sept. 28) and give the keynote talk (3:30 p.m., Sept. 28). Read Graham Brown's preview here. Related exhibits at ALL include Rashod Taylor's collection "Little Black Boy" and the "Flat File Project" including 10 Midwest artists; PhotoMidwest member exhibits include “In Search of Awe,” juried by board member Tim Mulcahy, through Nov. 17 at Overture Center’s Playhouse Gallery (reception is 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3); and “For the Love of Light,” Oct. 1-31 at the Pyle Center. Find more info on other area photography exhibits, and virtual galleries, at photomidwest.org.

media release: Arts + Literature Laboratory, PhotoMidwest, and FlakPhoto present Little Black Boy, a photography exhibition by Rashod Taylor, Tuesday, September 17 through Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Rashod Taylor’s photography addresses race, culture, family, and legacy themes. His large-scale black-and-white photographs are a kind of family album filled with friends, birthdays, vacations, and everyday life. At the same time, these images tell you more than his family story; they’re a window into the Black American experience. In Little Black Boy, Taylor uses photography to document his young son LJ's experience growing up in the American Midwest. By examining LJ's childhood and the world he inhabits, Taylor's images show the ups and downs of childhood while simultaneously hinting at his anxieties as a father raising a black child in America.

A reception for Little Black Boy and other PhotoMidwest Festival 2024 exhibits on display at Arts + Literature Laboratory will be held on Friday, September 27, 6:00-8:00pm.