As the saying goes, a photograph is worth a thousand words. Its worth goes beyond being exposed in a darkroom or printed from a computer. Images are windows into other worlds. Reflections of eras long behind us. Representations of a specific time and place.
The Amar Gallery’s exhibition Black Panthers & Revolution: Stephen Shames is the first London gallery show for Stephen Shames. As the photographer of the Black Panther Party, Shames has created the largest archive in the world documenting the movement. His photographs are both a private and public view of a very charged time in US history. A visually moving exhibition, Shames gives the viewer a glimpse into a time of great importance, where we consider the historical context of the sixties and seventies.
Founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, the legendary Black Panther Party began in Oakland, California. It was at the height of the movement that photographer Stephen Shames was given unprecedented access to the Party while he was still a student at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1967 to 1973, Shames documented the Party as it tirelessly worked to empower the African American community through bold social change. Sixty years later, his retrospective photographs now allow us to look back at this critical time in the Civil Rights movement as it swept through America.
CAPTURING A MOMENT: BEHIND THE SCENES OF A MOVEMENT
Given trusted access to the Black Panther Party, Stephen Shames documented the various sides of the organisation, which include both the public face of the Party and private moments behind closed doors. While he captured the protests, demonstrations, and militant armed posturing for which the Party became famously known, Shames also revealed what life was like behind the scenes.
In the Amar Gallery exhibition, Stephen Shames shares images of school children, private Party meetings, and intimate portraits taken at home. As seen in the below photographs of Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, Shames was able to capture authentic moments of laughter and seriousness, which showed these two men as more than prominent figureheads in the Civil Rights movement.
DEVELOPING ICONIC IMAGERY: THE POWERFUL AND PROMINENT
The powerful images that are on display at the Amar Gallery include many prominent, well-known figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, and Angela Davis. Shames’ images could be described as a mixture of portraiture, street photography, and photojournalism as he documented people surrounded by a political movement.
When viewing his photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr., one might wonder what Shames was thinking as he stood close to him. Each photograph invites the viewer to imagine themselves standing in Shames’ shoes. For a moment, your own perspective meets with the photographer’s point of view. Additionally, as I walk around the gallery, I wonder what Shames’ lens of choice was that created such intimacy between the subject and himself.
One might also consider that Stephen Shames was taking photographs when we still shot on film and the digital landscape was still far in the future. Each frame and opportunity could not be wasted. With this in mind, consider the composition of his photographs. Shames frames some of his subjects within their environments while using other individuals to help focus the attention on one specific person. In other photographs, Shames works with geometric shapes to direct our eye or lines to create repetition.
Shames’ photographs are imbued with the energy and political context of the movement. What could be seen as a candid image of a woman smoking a cigarette becomes a symbol for a community. A child’s tilted head creates an emotional reaction and a powerful image of innocence.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A PAST REVISITED
Throughout the gallery’s rooms, several of Shames’ photographs have been enlarged to fit the wall from floor to ceiling, making the images even more impactful. Quotes have been printed on the white walls, displaying the words of James Baldwin and Tupac Shakur with nods to George Floyd and the powerful women in the movement. These words are a reminder that the reasons the Black Panther Movement existed have not gone away decades later. Hopefully, the Amar Gallery’s exhibition Black Panthers & Revolution: Stephen Shames will serve as a reminder that equality has often been suppressed due to race, gender or sexuality. Racism remains, which makes the exhibition even more poignant and important.
Now in London, Stephen Shames’ photographs from the 1960s-70s Black Panther Party can be seen at the AMAR GALLERY, which is managed by director Amar Singh. Open to the Public 29 May – 6 July, 2025.
AMAR GALLERY
Kirkman House, Lower Ground
12-14 Whitfield Street
London
W1T 2RF
United Kingdom
