Ron Tarver “SHINE” Exhibit at Unique Photo

Curator Susanna Gold, in partnership with Unique Photo, announces the exhibition of the latest photographs by Swarthmore College professor and recent Guggenheim Fellow Ron Tarver. Tarver’s exhibition, SHINE, is part of this year’s 20/20 Photo Festival, a citywide celebration of photography in all its forms, with a series of events taking place throughout the month of September.

The exhibition showcases over 20 framed photographs in which Tarver explores his own racial identity and experiences as a Black artist. The word “shine” emerged during the Jim Crow era as a racist slur towards Black people commenting on African Americans who made a living shining the shoes of white people. By emphasizing the shine, or glossy surface, of these objects designed to exaggerate facial features such as lips, noses, and hair, Tarver’s collection of new photographs addresses the problematic nature of Black memorabilia as a decorative art. Taken with a large format film camera and printed in black and white on a highly reflective archival paper, these photographs depict objects in Tarver’s personal collection. While these kinds of objects are still widely collected, some with very high market values, they represent a legacy of racism and belittlement of a people simply due to skin color.

SHINE opens with a wine & cheese reception on First Friday, September 2, 5:00-7:00 pm in the third floor galleries at Unique Photo, 28 S. 2nd Street in Old City, Philadelphia. Tarver will offer an artist’s talk at the Opening Reception at 6:00 pm. The reception and artist talk is free and open to the public, and galleries are wheelchair accessible. The exhibition remains on view through Sunday, October 9. All works will be available for sale.

Tarver will also offer a short, informal talk on Saturday, September 24 at 11:00 am in the galleries, kicking off an Old City Photo Walk. This guided neighborhood Photo Walk immediately following the artist’s talk offers professional and amateur photographers the opportunity to take photos and interact with other area photographers. The Photo Walk will end at approximately 1:00 pm at the 20/20 Photo Festival Book Fair at the Cherry Street Pier. Both the artist’s talk and Photo Walk are free and open to the public.

A film screening of “Black Memorabilia,” a 55-minute film by Chico Colvard, will accompany the exhibition, followed by a Q&A with the artist. This film moves beyond perverse attractions and absolute objections to collectibles and antiques that serve as reminders of America’s troubled racial history. The film combats a set of generalized stereotypes by presenting an intimate and poetic portrait of the people who consume, manufacture and assume the identities of these objects. date and time TBA, please contact for more info.

Exhibition viewing hours are M-W: 10am–5pm | Thu-F: 10am-6pm | Sat: 10am-5pm | Sun: 10am-4pm. Curator appointments are advised but not required.