The New Bedford Art Museum's current exhibition "I Return With A Feeling Of Us: The Photography of Anthony Barboza" presents a compelling retrospective of work by the Cape Verdean-American photographer, marking his first major solo exhibition. Visitors entering the show are immediately greeted by a striking portrait of renowned author James Baldwin, setting the tone for what proves to be a powerful, moving, and nostalgic exploration of Black culture, history, and society.
Barboza's portrait of Baldwin exemplifies the photographer's mastery of capturing complex human emotions in a single frame. The revered author, best known for novels "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "Giovanni's Room," as well as the essay collection "The Fire Next Time," is perfectly captured with his hands clasped behind his back, his profile's shadow cast against a light-dappled surface behind him. The photograph reveals contradictory aspects of Baldwin's character simultaneously: vulnerability balanced by strength, melancholy tempered by quiet contentment.
Born in 1944 in New Bedford, Barboza appears to have taken to heart Baldwin's famous words: "Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go." The exhibition, presented in collaboration with the New Bedford Historical Society, demonstrates Barboza's deep connection to Baldwin's philosophy about the artist's role. As Baldwin wrote in his 1962 essay "The Creative Process," "The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don't see."
This love for his subjects is evident throughout Barboza's diverse portfolio, which encompasses portraits of writers, painters, actors, dancers, jazz musicians, models, rappers, blues artists, and even boxers. His portrait of Marvin Hagler, the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980-1987 who legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in 1982, exemplifies his ability to capture the artistry in athletics. The no-nonsense, mildly intimidating image shows Hagler bare-chested with arms crossed, staring directly into the lens without any over-the-top bravado.
Barboza's technical mastery of light and shadow reaches near perfection in his 1981 portrait of actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. The married couple, wed in 1948, were considered Harlem royalty who appeared together frequently on stage, television, and film. They're perhaps best remembered for their roles as Mother Sister and Da Mayor in Spike Lee's 1989 masterpiece "Do the Right Thing," and also appeared in Lee's "Jungle Fever" and "Malcolm X."
The exhibition features a compelling 1972 portrait of visual artist Jacob Lawrence, famous for his boldly colored paintings depicting Black history and contemporary life in what he called "dynamic cubism." Lawrence appears dapper in a sharp suit, tie, and brimmed cap, holding his eyeglasses while maintaining a serious expression that hints at a gentle smile. Barboza's curatorial choices reveal additional layers of his subjects' identities – while Lawrence is primarily known as a painter, the exhibition labels him as "author," acknowledging his work as a writer and illustrator of children's books including "The Great Migration" and "Harriet and the Promised Land," both published in 1993.
A 1976 portrait of Romare Bearden, a Black painter of Cherokee and Italian mixed ancestry, demonstrates Barboza's ability to capture quiet intensity. Despite the seemingly muted lighting, Bearden appears comfortable and confident, with what seems to be a grin perpetually on the verge of emerging. This subtle approach to portraiture runs throughout Barboza's work, whether he actively elicited these expressions or simply captured perfect candid moments.
The photographer's 1993 Black Border series features three distinct colorful Polaroid portraits titled "Still I See Ya! The Voices," "The Red Tongue," and "Emasculation of A Black Man." These images deliberately display the black borders of the Polaroid film around the portraits. Barboza explains the conceptual significance: "When you put black borders together, there's no end and no beginning. There's no line here. That meant that each of these people would relate in some ways to the other and also to me," and arguably to viewers as well.
Musicians feature prominently throughout the exhibition, with portraits of legends including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, Jay-Z, Gil Scott-Heron, Sun Ra, and Erykah Badu, dubbed "the Queen of Neo Soul." However, it's Barboza's 1971 portrait of Aretha Franklin that stands out as particularly remarkable. The photographer wanted to capture "this dream state – the feeling you have when you're listening to music and you close your eyes." He achieved this by instructing Franklin to close her eyes and imagine waiting for a kiss, resulting in a beautifully beatific image that perfectly embodies his vision.
The exhibition also showcases Barboza's versatility with a highly stylized 1980 portrait of model Toukie Smith, who appears reminiscent of a Las Vegas showgirl of that era. This image succeeds largely due to its elaborate set design and decorative elements, which are notably absent from much of his other portraiture work. Perhaps the most intimate photograph in the entire exhibition is 1985's "The Path – Laura's Eye," showing an attractive woman in profile in the backseat of a moving car. What might have been merely a serendipitous moment becomes extraordinary as her eye glows in the darkness of the night city, likely illuminated by the headlight of a passing taxi.
While the exhibition includes photographs taken in the Middle East, Africa, Washington D.C., Florida, and other locations, it's the 1970s Harlem photographs that truly command center stage. "Easter Sunday in Harlem" presents a charming and disarming image of three boys, approximately 12 or 13 years old, dressed in suits, polished shoes, and fedora-style hats, playfully posing in front of a heavily graffitied brick wall. "Stepping Out in Harlem" captures a well-dressed woman descending steps while a man behind her smiles as he stares at her figure – though as the reviewer notes, she probably knew she was being watched.
Barboza's aesthetically striking, socially conscious photographs and his remarkable ability to connect with culturally significant individuals and earn their trust place him within a distinguished continuum that traces back to Harlem Renaissance photographer James Van Der Zee. During the 1920s and 1930s, Van Der Zee documented Harlem's growing middle class and was commissioned for weddings, parties, and various social events. He eventually began photographing celebrities and sports figures, including Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, boxer Joe Louis, and Charles M. Grace, the founder and preacher of the United House of Prayer for All People, better known in New Bedford as "Sweet Daddy" Grace, where he sold "keys to heaven" and now has a statue outside his mausoleum in Pine Grove Cemetery.
The exhibition raises the compelling question of why this represents Barboza's first retrospective, given his status as a master photographer comparable to Van Der Zee. The show demonstrates that Barboza is far more than simply a local success story – he's achieved recognition as a significant artistic voice documenting Black culture and society across multiple decades. "I Return With A Feeling Of Us: The Photography of Anthony Barboza" remains on display at the New Bedford Art Museum at 608 Pleasant Street through November 23, offering visitors an opportunity to experience this powerful and moving collection firsthand.
