Legendary Photographer Kwame Brathwaite Passes Away at 85
Kwame Brathwaite, a pioneering photographer and activist who helped define the aesthetics of the 'Black is Beautiful' movement, has died at the age of 85. His son announced his father's passing in an Instagram post, describing him as "my Baba, the patriarch of our family, our rock and my hero."
Born in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn, New York, Brathwaite was drawn to photography by two life-changing moments: witnessing a haunting image of Emmett Till's open casket in 1955 and seeing a photographer capturing images without flash at a jazz club in 1956. He co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) with his brother Elombe, which became a hub for pushing back against Eurocentric beauty standards.
Brathwaite's work has experienced a resurgence in interest in recent years, with his first major institutional retrospective debuting at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in 2019 and touring across the country. He went on to photograph jazz legends, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk, as well as capturing iconic images of Black beauty through his "Grandassa Models" series.
Using a Hasselblad medium-format camera, Brathwaite honed his technique in a small darkroom in his Harlem apartment to create visually powerful images that celebrated Black skin. His photography aimed to capture the mood and feeling of a moment, as he once stated, "You want to get the feeling, the mood that you're experiencing when they're playing."
Throughout his career, Brathwaite continued to explore and develop his photographic style while staying true to the 'Black is Beautiful' ethos. His work has been recognized through various exhibitions, including a recent retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago.
At 85, Kwame Brathwaite leaves behind a legacy of promoting Black beauty, culture, and identity. His photographs continue to inspire and influence generations of artists, activists, and enthusiasts alike.
Kwame Brathwaite, a pioneering photographer and activist who helped define the aesthetics of the 'Black is Beautiful' movement, has died at the age of 85. His son announced his father's passing in an Instagram post, describing him as "my Baba, the patriarch of our family, our rock and my hero."
Born in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn, New York, Brathwaite was drawn to photography by two life-changing moments: witnessing a haunting image of Emmett Till's open casket in 1955 and seeing a photographer capturing images without flash at a jazz club in 1956. He co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) with his brother Elombe, which became a hub for pushing back against Eurocentric beauty standards.
Brathwaite's work has experienced a resurgence in interest in recent years, with his first major institutional retrospective debuting at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in 2019 and touring across the country. He went on to photograph jazz legends, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk, as well as capturing iconic images of Black beauty through his "Grandassa Models" series.
Using a Hasselblad medium-format camera, Brathwaite honed his technique in a small darkroom in his Harlem apartment to create visually powerful images that celebrated Black skin. His photography aimed to capture the mood and feeling of a moment, as he once stated, "You want to get the feeling, the mood that you're experiencing when they're playing."
Throughout his career, Brathwaite continued to explore and develop his photographic style while staying true to the 'Black is Beautiful' ethos. His work has been recognized through various exhibitions, including a recent retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago.
At 85, Kwame Brathwaite leaves behind a legacy of promoting Black beauty, culture, and identity. His photographs continue to inspire and influence generations of artists, activists, and enthusiasts alike.
kwame brathwaite was like the OG photographer of black beauty and it's crazy how his work is still inspiring people today 
he brought a whole new vibe to photography and helped change the game for black models and artists in the industry 
i remember seeing his "grandassa models" series and being blown away by the way he captured black skin as beautiful and unique 
it's wild how much of an impact he had on art and culture, especially during a time when it was all about eurocentric standards 
his legacy will live on through his work and the countless people he inspired to take up photography and advocate for change 
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. Rest in peace, Baba! 
. It's wild to think about how much of a difference one person can make in just being true to themselves and their art 
. let's keep pushing forward with his vision of beauty being for everyone 
. I mean, can you believe he was 85 and still killing it with his photography? I love how he stuck to his guns and refused to conform to the beauty standards of the time. His "Black is Beautiful" movement was ahead of its time, and we're still feeling the effects today 
. I'm so grateful that his photography is being recognized more than ever, especially in institutions like the Skirball Cultural Center 
. But what really gets me is how he continued to explore and develop his style even as he aged – that's true dedication to art 
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kwame brathwaite was like a legend in his own right, his photography and activism had such a huge impact on the world we're losing him when we need people who can keep pushing boundaries and promoting love 
. Growing up, I had no idea about the impact of his photography on shaping the way we think about skin tones, but now it's clear that he was ahead of his time 
. His "Grandassa Models" series is still giving me life today – those images are so timeless and empowering 