Bare Witness: Photographs by Gordon Parks brings together 73 works grouped specifically by Mr. Parks himself. The free exhibition continues through April 25.
Mr. Parks began his photography career in the 1940s, documenting crime, poverty, and civil rights, as well as the contrasting world of celebrity and glamour.
Mr. Parks established himself professionally while working for the Farm Security Administration and later as the first black photographer for the Office of War Information, where he documented discrimination in Washington D.C., the first black fighter pilot squadron, and more.
He went on to spend more than 20 years as staff photographer for Life magazine. The exhibition includes examples of his early works from the Farm Security Administration, to the Black Panther’s headquarters, to segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, to intimate photos of the de Silva family.
In addition to hosting the exhibition, the Toledo Museum of Art has planned an array of free exhibition-related public programs. They include:
Friday, April 9
FREE Film: Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
7:30 p.m., Little Theater
This retrospective on Gordon Parks’ extraordinary life serves as a brief social history of America as well as a showcase for Parks’ work.
The museum is located at
2445 Monroe Street
Toledo, OH 43620
Hours are 10:00-4:00 (Tu-Th), 10:00-10:00 (F), 10:00-6:00 (S) and Noon-6:00 (Su)