Exhibit at Flint museum puts city’s black women in the spotlight

f ever a city could use a positive image today, that city is Flint. And in 2017, it will have at least 50: powerful images of black women, all Flint residents, captured in Women of a New Tribe, a compelling new photo exhibit at the Flint Institute of Arts.

The FIA exhibition, running Jan. 22-April 15, is the vision of Charlotte, North Carolina-based photographer Jerry Taliaferro, who has toured with the display since 2002. The core exhibit developed from Taliaferro shooting black models when he worked as a commercial photographer.

“We specialized in making black women look good, so this wasn’t a big jump,” he says. “You know, African-American women can take on any standard of beauty. They run the entire extreme of female appearance.”

The FIA booked New Tribe three years ago, not knowing it would open on the heels of a catastrophic water crisis that impacted Flint’s black community.

“We’re always actively looking for exhibitions devoted to African-American art,” says FIA curator Tracee Glab. “When we read about this and saw we could display local women, we got really excited. We thought it would not only be a great fit but also engage the community in a way we haven’t done before.”

The FIA called for citywide nominations of praiseworthy women, then selected 50 by random drawing. Taliaferro shot them over eight days last summer, their oversized photos featuring classic Hollywood styling. “We did one pouring water between a woman’s hands,” he says. “At first people said, ‘That may be a little political,’ but it’s a strong picture. It wasn’t depressing.”

“I think this exhibit really uplifts the community and speaks well about women in general,” says Flint arts patron Velynda Makhene, a New Tribe model. “And that is a very positive thing.”