Los Angeles 1998

Curator: Let’s spend a few moments with Clarence Williams’ photograph, "Los Angeles," from 1998, rendered as a C-print. Editor: Well, my first impression is the color! That bold red background almost feels like a theatrical backdrop. There’s a tension between the posed nature of the portrait and the raw feeling the lighting creates. Curator: Precisely. I see the red backdrop, combined with his all-black clothing, as statements. Red can symbolize many things, passion and danger being primary. Pairing it with his somber expression invites contemplation about the burdens faced by Black men in Los Angeles. This photograph can be read as part of a larger narrative about identity and urban space. Editor: I’m feeling that, definitely. The gaze feels weary, but also... defiant. And the composition, it’s like a classic portrait but stripped down. It’s honest and avoids artifice. Curator: Consider that Clarence Williams created still and moving images. Therefore, one can also read these as a series of stills extracted from film reels—like movie stills of someone in deep reflection between takes. The photograph offers insights into the representation of Black masculinity at the time. There’s an undercurrent of vulnerability that contradicts stereotypical depictions. Editor: Absolutely, there's a complexity here. It’s making me think about how much images like this work against harmful narratives by humanizing a Black male figure and revealing that tenderness that mainstream media often erase. Curator: Yes. The image resonates so deeply because it serves as a point of connection between individual experience and broader socio-political narratives. It serves as an intimate doorway. Editor: Ultimately, I find the portrait deeply moving. It sticks with you. It has you consider its cultural and symbolic values. Curator: I agree. It’s a testament to Williams’ skill. Editor: Yes. A testament, and that backdrop—I'm still pondering the many possibilities of that powerful shade of red!