Invisible Man: Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison in Harlem

by Michal Raz-Russo, Peter W. Kunhardt (Foreword), Douglas W. Druick (Foreword)

Parks and Ellison collaborated on two historic photo-essays, now published in full for the first time It is relatively unknown that the photographer Gordon Parks was close friends with Ralph Ellison, author of the acclaimed 1952 novel Invisible Man . Even less known is the fact that their common vision of racial injustices, coupled with a shared belief in the communicative power of photography, inspired collaboration on two important projects, in 1948 and 1952. Capitalizing on the growing popularity of the picture press, Parks and Ellison first joined forces on an essay titled "Harlem Is Nowhere" for ‘48: The Magazine of the Year . Conceived while Ellison was already three years into writing Invisible Man , this illustrated essay was centered on the Lafargue Clinic, the first non-segregated psychiatric clinic in New York City, as a case study for the social and economic conditions in Harlem. He chose Parks to create the accompanying photographs, and during the winter of 1948, the two roamed the streets of Harlem, with Parks photographing under the guidance of Ellison’s writing. In 1952 the two collaborated again on "A Man Becomes Invisible" for the August 25 issue of Life , which promoted Ellison’s newly released novel. This is the first publication on Parks’ and Ellison’s two collaborations, one of which was lost, while the other was published only in reduced form. Gordon Parks was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912. In addition to his storied tenures photographing for the Farm Security Administration (1941–45) and Life (1948–72), Parks found success as a film director, introducing Blaxploitation through his film Shaft (1971). Parks died in 2006. Ralph Ellison was born in Oklahoma City in 1913. He enrolled at Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute in Macon County, Alabama, as a music major and later turned to writing essays and short stories for publications such as New Masses , The Negro Quarterly , The New Republic and Saturday Review . Invisible Man won the National Book Award in 1953. Ellison published two collections of Shadow and Act (1964) and Going to the Territory (1986). He died in 1994.

Genres: Photography, Art

168 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2016

Reviews

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely exceptional. To have two artists of this caliber collaborate on a great work and have that work lost would be unthinkable, to have TWO projects lost unfathomable. But here they are, mostly intact and absolutely breathtaking.

The text gives a great sense of place and context, and extrapolates on the notes left by Ellison and Parks. I learned quite a bit about both men that I didn't know before - Ellison was a freelance photog, Parks the man who knew everyone - and the time in which they worked to make these two great works laid out in this tome.

Not only is the exhibit special, but the exhibition catalogue allows for further exposition than given on the walls of the Art Institute. Am excellent and careful retelling and unearthing of a great story, previously thought lost.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some amazing photography in this coffee table sized book documenting two lost projects. An excellent counterpart to Invisible Man - showing not just great photographs but a lost time in Harlem.

The artifacts are from an exhibition. My favorite are from "A Man Becomes Invisible", published in Life magazine in 1952.

[Jude Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a highly philosophical book on the subject of race and social justice. It uses colloquial language so that the reader can understand its lofty ideas fairly well. The main character, although never named, is clearly defined by his confusion of the way of the world and is never truly able to understand why things are the way they are until the very end. Readers will enjoy his attempts to find his place in the world and relate to his desire to make an impact. It's a good read and well worth the time.

[T P Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is some fabulous writing in this and some exceptional photographs. However, the book never really coheres in trying to stitch together three very different projects undertaken by Parks and Ellison. This isn't at the same standard as other Steidl works given over to Parks photography.

[Rene Salomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

top notch photography

[Matt Carton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw the exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in July 2016. As IM is one of my favorite books to teach, and Parks is one of my favorite photographers, this is nothing short of astonishing.