Gordon Parks
1912–2006 · United States
Photographing against barriers.
Explorer l’œuvre ↓
Gordon Parks · August 1942
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
The story
Parks taught himself photography and made it a means of telling stories about inequality, everyday life and American culture. His work took him through the Farm Security Administration and then Life, without being limited to reportage: fashion, portraiture, writing, music and cinema were also part of his practice. His work creates sensitive narratives in which individuals remain present within social and racial relationships.
Understanding the work
Look at the person before summarising their circumstances. Social context matters, but light, gestures and sequencing also prevent a subject from being reduced to a category.
Key works and series
American Gothic, Washington, D.C.; reports on segregation; photographs for Life.
Sources & further exploration
A journey through images.
1 workClick an image to enlarge it. Captions, collections and reuse conditions appear below each work. Captions describe the photographs; the source records retain catalogue titles and provide context.
Gordon Parks · August 1942
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Works in collections.
22 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
- MoMA · 1957
Fingerprinting Addicts for Forging Prescription, Chicago, Illinois
Inkjet print, printed 2019
- Library of Congress · 1943-04
Lawrence Brown, tromboniste de l’orchestre de Duke Ellington
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942-06
Walter Francis White, secrétaire exécutif de la NAACP
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942-11-26
Prière avant le repas de Thanksgiving chez Mordecai Johnson
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1943-01
Mary McLeod Bethune faisant ses adieux aux étudiants
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1943-01
Salle de lecture de la bibliothèque de Bethune-Cookman College
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1943-02
Assistant agricole se reposant derrière sa charrue
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1943-05
Une femme et son chien dans Harlem, New York
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942-08
Cliente un samedi après-midi, Washington
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942
Ella Watson rentrant du travail à deux heures du matin
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
