Gordon Parks, Off on My Own (Harlem, New York)

Gordon Parks (American, 1912-2006), Off on My Own (Harlem, New York), 1948. Gelatin silver print. The Art Institute of Chicago, Amanda Taub Veazie Acquisition Fund, 2016.125. © The Gordon Parks Foundation. From "Harlem is Nowhere," a collaborative project between Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison. A Seeing America video.
Speakers: Michal Raz-Russo, David and Sarajean Ruttenberg Associate Curator of Photography, Art Institute of Chicago and Dr. Steven Zucker
Special thanks to Michal Raz-Russo, Sarah E. Alvarez, The Gordon Parks Foundation, the Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

[@MFPhoto1]

Today I went to look at the Gordon Parks exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. The photo, called here Off On My Own, was part of the exhibit, along with the full story behind the photo. It was part of the photo essay Harlem Gang Leader. Other photos from that series were part of the exhibit, as was Harlem Rooftops and American Gothic. Gordon Parks and George Hurrell are my two favorite photographers.

[@Sasha0927]

I had to watch this one twice. "He's making you understand that this is not separate from our experience of America - this is America." 🔥🔥🔥 What a powerful - and sadly true - note to end on. Even today, as I continue this protracted job search, part of me cringes when companies request my demographic information. Part of me does suspect that this might've ended sooner if I weren't an invisible woman. I try not to entertain that line of thought, but as a reformed psych nerd, I do observe and acknowledge how the mere thought of that impacts me sometimes... I love the samples of his writing. He was very eloquent.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Michal Raz-Russo, the curator, was just excellent. I love that print.

[@GeneralTarik]

I’m a huge Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison fan. I have most of Gordon Parks’ books and a large four volume collection of his work. Ironically, it was the credits of the movie “Widows” that lead me here. They reference the photo “Off On My Own”, a photo I don’t ever remember seeing before. This was a great and informative video but there is one error that you may or not be aware of here. On the map of Harlem which shows the locations of some of Harlem Renaissance luminaries, the great author, folklorist and anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston is listed as “Nora Neal Hurston”. Otherwise, as I stated before, this video was great. I will have to seek out a copy of this other Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison collaboration.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Thank you for reaching out and catching that typo, and also for your kind words about our video. The collaboration between Parks and Ellison deserves far wider recognition.

[@GeneralTarik]

Smarthistory Realizing I made a typo myself. It happens!