Blackface (CL)

By David Levinthal

Of all of David Levinthal's work none has caused more controversy than his "blackface" series. Levinthal has used his toy collection to question our national myths, childhood dreams, and stereotypes concerning race and cultural identity. This series explores the blackface myth embodied in "black memorabilia" -- once ubiquitous household objects infused with racist caricature. Levinthal's photos let the artifacts speak to us directly, without an intermediary, and demand a response from us regardless of our race, age, or gender. These images present a paradox in which the beauty of photographic representation brings into relief the historical ugliness the objects are rooted in. Magnified with a 20x24 inch Polaroid camera, the Blackface pictures raise questions about a host of issues, including viewer subjectivity, the recent popularity of "black memorabilia" among African-American intelligentsia, and why the manufacture of these objects proliferated earlier in this century.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1892041065
• ISBN13: 9781892041067
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Arena Editions
• Length: 153 Pages
• Weight: 3.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 11.3" x 13.3"