The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) presents Question Bridge: Black Males that opens on Saturday, September 13, 2014. FWM will host a public reception on Thursday, October 2, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Question Bridge aims to represent and redefine black male identity in America, and powerfully exposes the incredible diversity of thought, character, and identity within the black American male demographic, disrupting traditional generalizations.
This project created by Chris Johnson, Hank Willis Thomas, Bayeté Ross Smith, and Kamal Sinclair explores challenging issues within the black male community by instigating a transmedia conversation across the geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social divisions of American society. These artists collected more than 1,600 question and answer videos from over 150 men across the country between 2008-2011. The conversation that is created brings about healing and understanding among group members, but when it’s shared publicly, understanding happens on a broader scale: non-black viewers are exposed to complex and authentic images of black males rarely seen in American media. The hope is that this exposure will help break down the many negative perceptions people have about black men. Johnson, Thomas, Ross Smith, and Sinclair shaped the content into an insightful, provocative, and entertaining five-channel video installation that has been exhibited at over 30 museums, festivals, and institutions.
From the beginning, the goal of the project has been to represent and redefine black male identity by getting large numbers of black men to participate in the effort. So, starting in September 2014, Question Bridge will embark on a campaign of getting 200,000 black males to add their voices through the website and mobile app by summer 2016. This exhibition at FWM is joined by 7 other exhibitions appearing across the country in the fall of 2014.