“Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present” is an exhibit centering around Stewart’s “sensitive and spontaneous approach to portraying world culture and Black life,” according to the Phillips Collection. Organized by thematic groupings that follow both journeys while traveling and the growth of how he portrays his subjects, the exhibit serves almost as a “visual autobiography” that utilizes both Stewart’s photos and past cameras.
Through his work, viewers can see the shifts of Stewart’s nomadic life as he moves between Memphis, Washington, Chicago and New York, as well as his international travels to Cuba and Africa.
Stewart traveled to a vast array of places on his own, as well as with a jazz troupe at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York, serving as their senior photographer from 1990 to 2020. During his time with the troupe, Stewart captured many photos ranging from public performances to intimate and candid moments with the musicians he traveled with. Stewart’s journey with the troupe may have made an impact on the themes and subjects of his pieces, given that music is one of the overarching themes of his work.
The Phillips Collection’s exhibit includes all the aspects of Stewart’s work, including his less explored pieces. An example of this would be his series “Drawings,” a more abstract collection than his usual compositions inspired by his global travels. The series captures Stewart’s experimentations with photography through reflections, walls, cars and playing children.
The collection also includes the gradual shift of Stewart’s work from black and white to color. Color began to dominate more of his photos as digital photography advanced. The exhibit demonstrates changes in technique and inspiration throughout Stewart’s career.
Stewart’s travels in search of the beginnings of African culture are covered and exhibited throughout “Frank Stewart’s Nexus.” The faces in Stewart’s photos “tell just as much as landscapes,” according to the Washington Informer.
Washington is a place of significance to Stewart, since he took some of his earliest photos at the 1963 Washington March for Jobs and Freedom at only 14 years old. Participants marched to end segregation while bringing fair wages, economic justice, voting rights and civil rights protections. The March was crucial in pivoting the perspective on the Civil Rights Movement.
“Frank Stewart’s Nexus,” will be on display until September 3, 2023.
