“There was this big hole. There were no black images of dignity. Of beautiful black people. So I tried to fill it. But that’s not what I wanted…” —Roy DeCarava
In the mid-1980s, Roy DeCarava (b. 1919, New York City; d. 2009, New York City) spoke with NPR about his career, including his 1952 application for a Guggenheim fellowship, which he won, becoming the first black artist to win the award. On his death in 2009, NPR produced this special, which includes clips from the earlier interview.
On view now at David Zwirner’s two New York locations is the first exhibition of legendary photographer Roy DeCarava since the gallery assumed representation of the artist’s estate. Curated by DeCarava’s widow Sherry Turner DeCarava, Light Break runs through October 26, 2019.
All images copyright the artist’s estate, via NPR.