A mother and son united by love and art | Deborah Willis and Hank Willis Thomas | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The content explores the symbiotic relationship and love between Hank Willis Thomas and his mother, Deborah Willis, as they discuss their shared passion for photography and their efforts to showcase black love and joy through their work.

Key Insights

• 📸 The symbiotic relationship between artist Hank Willis Thomas and his mother, Deborah Willis, has shaped their lives and work, leading them to explore ideas about love, family, and black joy through photography.
• 💡 Love is not just a feeling, but an action and a way of life. Photographers seek love when they make photographs, capturing moments that reflect black love and joy.
• 📚 Photography has the power to tell stories that are often not found in daily news, highlighting black experiences and capturing the beauty of black communities.
• 📷 The love of looking at photographs and the love for photography itself may be genetic, passed down from generation to generation.
• 🚪 Breaking barriers and defying sexist language, Deborah Willis forged her path in photography, using her camera to prove her worth and make a difference in the field.
• 💪 Black photographers have historically been underrepresented and their narratives have been overlooked. Their stories offer a different perspective on black life and community.
• 🎥 Hank Willis Thomas uses his art as a tool to address historical and present-day issues, using appropriation of photographs to explore the perennial struggle for human rights and equal rights. ⏳ The power of the phrase "I am" is profound. It can affirm individuality and collective identity, and everyone has the capacity to love.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the video content about?

The video content is a conversation between Hank Willis Thomas and his mother, Deborah Willis, discussing their relationship as mother and son and their shared love for photography.

Q: How do Hank and Deborah explain their relationship?

Hank and Deborah describe their relationship as symbiotic, with Hank following in his mother's footsteps and being inspired by her throughout his life and work.

Q: What do Hank and Deborah believe love is?

Hank and Deborah state that love is not just a feeling, but an action. Love is a way of being, doing, listening, and seeing.

Q: How did Deborah's upbringing influence her interest in photography?

Deborah grew up in North Philadelphia where she was surrounded by family and friends who used photography to tell stories about life and family experiences. This upbringing inspired her to search for pictures that reflect black love, black joy, and family life.

Q: How did a male professor try to discourage Deborah from becoming a photographer?

Deborah's male professor in art school told her that she was taking a good man's space by pursuing photography. He attempted to shame her in front of her classmates and doubted her abilities as a woman. However, she persisted and used her camera to prove to herself that she would make a difference in photography.

Q: What impact did Deborah's books and exhibitions have?

Deborah edited and published numerous books and curated exhibitions on black photographers, which were inspired by her curiosity and desire to share their stories. She aimed to highlight the different narratives and perspectives of black life and emphasize the importance of listening to these stories.

Q: How did Hank become involved in photography?

Hank became his mother's first student, unwillingly at first, when he picked up a camera to make his own pictures. He used photography to explore the connections between the past and present and to address issues of human rights and equal rights through his artwork.

Q: What is the significance of the photo by Ernest Withers in Hank's artwork?

The photo by Ernest Withers taken during the Memphis Sanitation Workers March in 1968, where protesters held signs saying "I am a man," inspired Hank's artwork. He reflects on how the collective statement of declaring one's humanity changed to a selfish declaration after integration. He remixes the text to explore the complexities of identity and power dynamics.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Hank Willis Thomas and Deborah Willis have a close relationship and have made a piece called "Sometimes I See Myself In You" that represents their symbiotic connection in life and work.

• Photography has played a significant role in their lives, with Deborah using it to tell stories about black love and family life, and Hank following in her footsteps and using it to explore the past and present.

• Their work aims to challenge historical narratives and promote love and equality, with Hank's remixing of Ernest Withers' photograph being a poignant example.