Eye Dreaming: Photographs by Anthony Barboza

In this sensational collection, photographer Barboza’s body of work is celebrated in all its glory. A Black man born in 1944, with his talents nurtured by the Kamoinge group and other Black Arts Movement affiliations, Barboza recognized that “photography had the power to tell stories, capture ideas, and document human experiences,” Bryant writes. Barboza is best known for his portraits, which Hilton Als describes here as having an effect on their subjects that would “lift themselves up—lift their spirits up.” Images of Halle Berry, Cher, Rudy Dee and Ossie Davis, and Toukie Smith break through celebrity glamour to convey a palpable sense of confidence and pride. Other series celebrate street and community life in diverse cities (New York, L.A.) as well as Africa and the Middle East, whereas more experimental and artistic close-ups such as The Hand (seen pressed against a window) or The Fruit of My Dreams showcase beauty in objects or elevate the mundane. The photographer calls his process “eye dreaming,” and explains it as: “I was always looking for the other half of me. It’s autobiographical.... You’re looking for love, and with that love you go to another level.” Essays and an in-depth interview with Barboza add to the abundance of the volume, and give greater meaning and appreciation to the artist’s life, career, and celebration of Black America. It’s a gorgeous addition to the shelf of any art book collector. (Oct.)