Bob Michaels' exhibits in Orlando & Havana

[dleyva2]

Good luck with both of these shows!!!!!

 

[andredossantos]

Bob, congratulations. I really enjoy your work. Cheers!

 

[robert blu]

Congratulation! unfortunately there is an ocean in between...hope you can tell us a little about how did you work for it
robert

 

[Bob Michaels]

Wow. I certainly don't dispute that they say this, but the implication is that, conversely, having a relationship to Africa (using the term "African American") DOES have negative connotations.

Historically and sociologically speaking, the terms Negro and black are not interchangeable in the U.S. even though as you know, "negro" means black in Spanish. Negro and black each have different connotations; there was a time when "Negro" was largely rejected in favor of "black."

So this community actually favors "Negro"? Even the younger people?

Please don't misinterpret, I'm not trying to be the PC police. But I have spent a lot of time photographing people of African descent in the Americas so I find these questions of identity really interesting.

Again, congratulations on the two exhibits.

Understand the spirit of your questions. No problem. Yes, these questions of identity become interesting sometimes. I cannot remember any other descriptive term that I have spent so much time trying to insure was correct. I do think we assign them more significance than deserved.

It certainly would be simpler if I could ignore the labels. However the historical significance of this community is that it remains as it was 50 years ago prior to integration while the rest of central Florida has grown and changed dramatically. Thankfully, I only have to describe it once in the introduction as it becomes apparent in the photos that everyone is of one race.

I believe the desired terminology is location and age driven.

"African-American" is not considered negative in South Apopka, just non-nonsensical. The example given me was if I considered myself to be English-American, Dutch-American, Irish-American or what?

I am thankful that black is negro in Spanish, so this issue does not arise in Cuba. They formally ignore racial identity as so many are mixed that it becomes impossible. Skin color is simply an identifying characteristic such as eye or hair color. Now racial discrimination in Cuba is a whole different issue that is another discussion.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Bob,
Can you tell us more about how you prepared for the exhibition ?
TJ

1) photograph at least 8 hours a week for 3-4 years in South Apopka.
2) continue visiting and photographing intermittently for 2 years more.
3) continuously and critically edit the entire time in order to tell a cohesive story.
4) have my South Apopka series exhibited numerous times.
5) travel to Cuba 7 times each for 2 weeks specifically to photograph.
6) continuously and critically edit the entire time in order to tell a cohesive story.
7) exhibit my Cuban people series
8) re-edit both series to combine them to tell the story of the similarity of the two cultures.

edit: I hope my response did not come across as smart*ss but that was 99% of the effort involved.

 

[Michael Markey]

Best of luck from me too ,Bob.
Would have liked to have seen both.