There is an urban myth that Black men make terrible fathers: absent, violent and a host of other extreme fictions. South Side photographer and activist Eli Williamson begs to differ. In this small but powerful exhibition, where each photograph is titled “FatherHood,” Williamson proves his point. He gives us, in these images, proof that it just isn’t so—that there are plenty of loving, nurturing, caring fathers in the Black community.
The two images on the postcard for the show are a case in point. One shows a father dealing with two small children, a tiny one in his arms, and one, barely reaching his hip, standing next to him. The other publicity image, which was printed larger in the show, shows a father in a bus shelter, waiting for a bus, cradling a small child. On his face is the most beatific smile, tender, loving, proud, as he gazes at the sleeping toddler.
Eli Williamson, “FatherHood,” 2022
Williamson loves words—peppered throughout the show are didactic plaques that have his words, the words of others, including singer Bill Withers, whose song lyrics from “I’m Her Daddy” appear with several photographs, and the O’Jay’s “Family Reunion.” On his artist’s statement, Williamson says, “In 2016 I took my first photo of a Black father,” and tells the story about how moved he was by the father and his two children on the subway. The story sets the stage for all the work that has followed. There is also a section in the show called “GrandFathered,” in which the older generation are captured with their grandchildren.
There’s even a small selection of images titled “The Stroll,” of fathers with strollers.
The didactic speaks of a Black man named William H. Richardson who received patent #405600 in 1889 for an improved baby carriage in which the baby faces the person pushing the buggy. Many of Richardson’s modifications are still in use, according to Williamson.
As a nonprofit and philanthropy executive, Williamson knows what touches people’s hearts. This work, though the prints are mostly small in size, and a bit oversaturated, tells a tender and necessary story. He’s certainly made his point with the series so far—I look forward to seeing what he has in store with the other three of “The Four Virtues.”
“The Four Virtues” at Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, Evanston. Through March 10, reception with the artist Sunday, February 5.
Home Is Where the Family Is: A Review of Chicago Chiquito at Bridgeport Art Center This small but significant exhibition shows the history of Chicago Chiquito, or little Chicago, the nickname given to La Hacienda, a small town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Its families have migrated north to find work for over one hundred years.
