Gordon Parks is a well-known influential African American artist back in the 20th century, being multi-talented in many different professions including a film director, musician, writer, and most notably, a photographer. He is best known for shedding light in the difficulties and pride of the African American experience through the glamors of photography. Park wanted to address through his work, the inherent disadvantage African American’s were placed in and ultimately make about change in the social injustice and racial prejudice African American’s faced in their lives. “Ondria Tanner and Her Grandmother Window-shopping” is one of Park’s works for life magazine that was never exhibited during the times of racial segregation. This piece of work illustrates the racial and class segregation in American society and subtly depicts the harsh realities of young African Americans who are internalizing the effects of systematic racism.
Through this artwork, Park uses the concept of “Real vs Apparent” and even classism to highlight the severe injustice experienced by African Americans. Firstly, one of the most noticeable elements of the image is the myriad of purely white mannequins. By having the mannequins – which are objects used to aesthetically display consumer goods – as only of white color, it depicts the dominant force of white culture and the preferred race in society. Hence, the superficial nature of the mannequins is ironically representative of the reality of society and reflects the natural racial prejudice against African Americans. Furthermore, the glass wall that separates the mannequins and the young African American girl represents both the figurative and literal barriers between races: the inability to become white and the racial segregation that prevents equality amongst races. This coupled with the relatively high-angle shot and the elevated foregrounded white mannequin, illustrates a power-dynamic, not only created by racial differences but also through socio-economical classes. The way in which the centered white child mannequin is towering above the African American girl also quite literally suggests the uneven grounds and the inherent disadvantage African Americans are placed in as soon as they are born. The composition of the photo is also rather interesting, with the light shining down in front of the centered mannequin, whilst the dark shadow on her back is seemingly aligned with the African American girl and her grandmother. This may bring metaphorical implications of how white Americans are shined with success in society, whilst black African Americans suffer in the background, hidden in the shadows.
Despite this, the African American girl seems interested, or perhaps even inspired, or rather desires the white mannequins with her hands reaching out to touch them. However, the glass wall prevents her from doing so, yet interestingly, her grandmother also extends her arm in a rather protective manner to prevent the girl from touching them. Ideally, the grandmother achieves to protect her granddaughter from physical oppression and racism, however, falls short in protecting her from the mindset of normalized white supremacy and the internalization of systematic racism. Through this image, Park achieves to illustrate the harsh and unfair predicaments of African Americans and the intersectional elements of marginalization that cruelly reinforces segregation.
