Posing Beauty explores the ways in which African American beauty has been represented in the media in both historical and contemporary contexts. In three thematic sections, "Constructing a Pose," "Body and Image," and "Modeling Beauty and Beauty Contests." This exhibition examines contemporary understandings of beauty by framing the notion of aesthetics, race, class and gender within art, popular culture, and political contexts. Posing Beauty features approximately nearly 100 works drawn from public and private collections and will be accompanied by a book by the curator of the exhibition, Dr. Deborah Willis, Chair of the Photography and Imaging Department at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts.


Posing Beauty consists of three thematic sections:

Media sponsors

Ken Ramsay, Susan Taylor, as Model, c. 1970s, Gelatin silver print, 19 3/4 x 15 3/4 in., Courtesy of Curatorial Assistance, Inc.; Jeffrey Henson Scales, Denzel Washington, Los Angeles, c. 1990s, Gelatin silver print, Courtesy of Curatorial Assistance, Inc.