Kwame has been considered the
ever-present "photo-documentarian" of the Black Cultural movement, the
"keeper of the images." While earning a living as a fashion and
entertainment photographer, his primary interest has been the recording of
the history of the African Cultural Revolution and the African liberation
struggle. Co-founded the African Jazz-Art Society, 1956); The Grandassa
Models (Black is Beautiful) 1961 and wearable art shows, AFRIMODA,
FashionArt and FashioNations (1986).
Kwame's photography business has taken him to
over twenty countries in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. His fashion and
entertainment photography has kept him busy with high profile assignments
for some of the top names in entertainment and fashion, including Beverly
Johnson, Iman, Barbara Smith, Jerri Hall, Peggy Dillard, Cindy Crawford,
Frederique, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Tyra Banks, Roshumba and
many others. He also has had the honor of being selected by several
heads of state to document their travels in the U.S., including President
Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea, Maurice Bishop of Grenada and President Sam
Nujoma of Namibia. Among his most treasured images are his coverage of the
funeral of his namesake, Kwame Nkrumah, the independence of Namibia along
with the Inauguration of his longtime friend Pres. Sam Njoma, and the
inauguration of Nelson Mandela, the later two events are amongst the
things for which he had fought for for more than thirty years.
“As artists, we are
continually plagued with finding ways to balance our socio-political,
socio-economic, professional lives as artists, and our financial
responsibilities to our families. During this “Golden Age of Black Art”,
we must find new ways to put the “gold” into our work, without
compromising, commercializing, or sacrificing our responsibilities to our
people. We must create new ways to use our art as an instrument for social
change. We must use our vision to speak to the souls of our people to help
guide them through this new Melanian (the presence of Black or dark
pigmentation) where Black art will finally take its rightful place, not
only in the hearts of our people, but in the marketplace as well.”