...so when I heard that Gordon Parks passed, I was shocked and a bit upset...but not too upset. I know that Gordon was one of the rare individuals who got to see way more than the average guy, and also lived a long life. You see, Gordon Parks was a personal hero of mine. I felt a very personal connection to him when I saw a photo exhibit of his at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in DC during the fall semester of my Junior year at Howard. It was a mandatory assignment for my photography class. As an artist, it was one of the best thing s that could have happened to me. I honestly didn't know who Gordon Parks was, what to expect, and why this exhibit was mandatory, but, Professor Kennedy didn't play at all and I really wanted to get a good grade in photography (It's the best 'B' I've ever earned). Because I didn't have a car, I called up my homegirl Alicia, and asked if she could roll with me over to the exhibit. Being the cool kitten that she is, she was down and we rolled out one evening to check out this exhibit. When I walked into the exhibit, the first photograph that caught my eye was a black and white photo from the late 30's- early '40's (I believe) of a train at sunset. The tonal quality was so exquisite, I could see what colors were present that evening the train was making its way to its destination. A black and white picture that was as colorful as any picture I had ever seen. I had unknowingly stepped into a time capsule of American and world history.
I was moved by the pictures he took; how everything seemed so perfectly caught in time. Because the exhibit was arranged chronologically, I felt like I lived vicariously through these photos. I went from the late 30's all the way up to 1997. Truth be told, I was much more intrigued and in awe of his black and white photography. I don't know, I feel that there is something magical, wondrous...classic about black and white photography. Upon leaving the exhibit, I absolutely had to learn more about this man. How did he capture what seemed to be so many significant moments in time? How did he learn how to do all of this? How did he have the privilege of doing this? Eventually, I did a research paper on Gordon Parks, and was astounded by what I discovered.
Mr. Parks had captured everything from drug raid on the south side of Chicago to Muslim rallies in the '60's. He had been responsible for timeless pictures that graced the covers and pages of Time magazine...he had seen wars, famine, poverty at home and abroad, cultural icons, Malcolm, Muhammad, Vanderbilt...all through the lens of his camera. He, was my ebony iteration of da Vinci. This man, who came up dirt poor in Kansas, taught himself how to use a camera and managed to become one of, if not the greatest photographers of all time. He taught himself how to play piano, and because he couldn't read music, developed numerical arrangements to write down his symphony's. He played semi-pro ball, and directed one of the biggest movies in the blaxploitation era, Shaft. During the later stages of his life, he developed a love for painting, and did all of these things instinctively. He never had the privilege or money to be formally taught. He learned through desire, will and necessity. He was a true renaissance man, someone that I didn't even know and wanted to make proud. A few people who have heard me rhyme, and have seen my name, have asked what the deal was with it. Well, because art was my first passion, I decided to pay homage to the two artists that inspired me most: Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian painter who was trained and evolved into one of the greatest ever. Leonardo was so serious about the anatomy and understanding it, he'd dig up bodies in different stages of decomposition and draw them in his studio. He was a genius who created the idea of the helicopter, catapult-- oh, and painted the Mona Lisa. The other artist was Gordon Parks, hence DaVinci Parks. I am a man who attempts to make art with words, but, don't sleep...I have a bit of ability with the pencil and paper, although I haven't really drawn in a while. The last thing I think I drew was for a co-worker who was leaving the country to take on another job, and I drew a picture in like thirty minutes from a picture I downloaded off the internet of Vito Corleone, as we are both fans of The Godfather series, although he, more than I. Here it is...(I did this at the very last minute AND from a very small picture) *sigh* Still insecure about showing my art, another thing I took from my Howard experience.

But, back to Gordon...I truly hope I get an opportunity to carry the torch somehow, and if i do, that i do him proud. You know, I'm not a big fan of remakes, and didn't really feel the Shaft remake even though I still like Samuel Jackson. The only redeemable thing about that movie, aside from Jeffrey Wright's performance, was seeing Gordon Parks acknowledged by the original Shaft, Richard Roundtree. I was the only person in that theater who knew who Gordon Parks was... The chick I had taken with me was like, "Who was that old man?" Oh well, study up on my man...his autobiographies are pretty easy to read-- They're all pretty much the same, it's just they have been updated over time to add more recent events with each iteration, as far as I can tell. Also, buy "Half Past Autumn", which is an autobiography/ small collection of some of his more popular works.