The New Black Vanguard: Photography between Art and Fashion ★★★★ Saatchi Gallery | Oct 28, 2022 - Jan 22, 2023


This is an important show that shares the work of fifteen very exciting image makers. The exhibition has been thoughtfully curated by Antwaun Sargent and it captures the aesthetics of a generation of creators from Los Angeles, to London, to Lagos. The New Black Vanguard presents a variety of approaches to image making with a focus on portraiture. It accentuates the intersection of art and fashion photography and highlights some extraordinary talents. The vibrancy and colour of the work is reflected in the brightly painted walls of the galleries which beautifully complement the pictures. For us, a couple of favourites were the creations of Dana Scruggs and Stephen Tayo. Scruggs creates images which are quite stunning, becoming unforgettable, while Tayo's pictures are a fascinating look into the contemporary youth style in Nigeria. However, the construction of all the images in this show presents a unique look into the different perspectives and common threads that define this intriguing emergent community of black artists. This exhibition is an important introduction to, and celebration of, some fresh new interpreters of the black experience of beauty, desire and art.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Dana Scruggs, Fire on the Beach, 2019, from The New Black Vanguard (Aperture, 2019). © Dana Scruggs

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