Conversations with Artists: Dawoud Bey
In 2005, American photographer Dawoud Bey (b. 1953) visited Birmingham, Alabama, to explore the possibility of making work that would commemorate the September 15, 1963, bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. He spent the next seven years getting to know the community and the history and considering how he could best represent the children who were killed that day. The Birmingham Project, a series that includes photographic diptychs and a split-screen video, is Bey’s powerful response. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Dawoud Bey: The Birmingham Project, this ten-minute interview with the artist explores the inspiration and evolution of the project, as well as Bey's broader interests in portraiture and American history. Made possible by Heather and Jim Johnson and Neil and Sayra Meyerhoff. Dawoud Bey: The Birmingham Project was on view from September 12, 2018, to April 22, 2019.
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