Edited by Sarah Lewis, Leigh Raiford and Deborah Willis
236 pages, hardcover, $65
Published by Aperture
store.apeture.org

Coreen Simpson: A Monograph is an essential archive of Black American self-expression through style, encapsulated in photographer Coreen Simpson’s portraits of New York City subcultures over the past half-century. Viewing her work within the context of Professor Sarah Lewis’s Vision & Justice Book Series (of which Coreen Simpson: A Monograph is the second title), the power of dressing and being seen is on full display.

Throughout her life—as a magazine writer, a visionary and sought-after jewelry designer, and a prolific photographer—Simpson has always been attracted to the intention and creativity of the Black communities around her. Her portraits of celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Eartha Kitt and Toni Morrison reveal a mutual recognition and an easy proximity. In fact, most of Simpson’s subjects meet the gaze of her lens directly, wanting to be seen and remembered; in turn, she makes each important—celebrity or otherwise. It’s with gratitude for the value she placed on archiving Black life and style that we can enjoy her photos of behatted church ladies in Harlem; flamboyant characters of queer nightclubs in the ’70s; or the B-boys and girls of the city’s burgeoning hip-hop scene.

In this comprehensive retrospective, each chapter of her practice is accounted for and thoughtfully expanded on through essays by leading artists and academics who rightfully consider her influence on art, fashion and culture at large. A highlight is a conversation between Simpson and her contemporary Deborah Willis—also an editor of the book—in which they reminisce on the dynamic art scene they came up in. —Alix-Rose Cowie ca