The New Black Vanguard: Photography between art and fashion

An exhibition that celebrates Black creativity both in front of and behind the camera. Featured works include Black stylists, models, make-up artists and creative directors has arrived at the Saatchi Gallery. 

Image: Namsa Leuba, The New Black Vanguard Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, October 2022, MTotoe

The New Black Vanguard showcases the works of 15 contemporary Black portrait photographers breaking boundaries and leading the way in changing preconceived narratives of blackness. In this exhibition, you’ll step into a world where art, fashion and culture align, from Vogue Magazine covers to culture captured on the streets of Lagos.  The exhibition challenges the idea that blackness is homogenous with each artist displaying a different perspective and purpose in their work. Each photographer's biography is on show, offering the opportunity to through their own words understand the photographer's perspective before taking in their works. Each photographer has a unique purpose from Quil Lemons’ series of portraits that explore black masculinity to Stephen Tayo's photography that documents how tradition and fashion align in the lives of everyday people in Nigeria. Chicago-born photographer Dana Scruggs found purpose in her photography and takes pride in being able to present her own narrative in being a black woman capturing the images of the black men. And British Nigerian photographer Nadine Ijewere, strives to show young women of colour that beauty is not one universal standard. Whilst each photographer is unique in their perspective and purpose they have a collective mission to change historic views of blackness. 

Image: Works of emerging artists, The New Black Vanguard Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, October 2022, MTotoe

The exhibition has been curated by the writer Antwaun Sargent, whose book of the same name, The New Black Vanguard, explores how a generation of young black photographers are changing the narrative on Blackness. The book published in 2019 was the inspiration for the exhibition, and has been on tour ever since. London was deemed an obvious location for the exhibition, not least because of it's prominence in the world of fashion, but also for its population of people from the African diaspora. 

Breaking from the traditional white minimalist walls typical of exhibition spaces, curator Antwan Argent has gone against the grain choosing to showcase works against the backdrop of boldly coloured walls, from a lemon yellow and bold barbie pink to a rich blue and soft aqua. 

This incredible collective display of diverse creativity from the photographers will undoubtedly be a source of inspiration for the next generation of upcoming artists and trailblazers. A taste for which can be seen on the salon walls of the exhibition dedicated to the works of emerging photographers once again dispelling the historic notion that blackness is homogenous showing diversity in their differing locations, cultures and perspectives on blackness. 

Image: Tyler Mitchell, The New Black Vanguard Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, October 2022, MTotoe

The exhibition is an important nod to the diversity and breadth of black creativity but also a source of excitement for what the future holds for black representation in arts and fashion. Visit The Black Vanguard Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery until 23 January 2023. 

 Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, London SW3 4RY, Price: £10