Moira Pernambuco

Moira Pernambuco (African and Amerindian [Wapishana], b. 1969), Daniel, 2017. Photograph (Canon 7D body, manual lens, Voigtlander 28mm).

Today the Black male body exists in a world where it is both objectified and criminalized. Black males experience racial bias and acts of violence as they go about their everyday lives. Rarely does society get to experience the endless potential of Black men and boys. In the ongoing photographic series Black Boy Beautiful, Black Boy Vulnerable, photographer Moira Pernambuco exposes the fictional contradictions in the series’ title by bringing to light the vulnerability, beauty, and possibilities of Black men. In Daniel, the youthful figure’s Black masculinity, juxtaposed against a dark, blemished canvas, is spellbinding. Pushing back against the narrow prisms through which society sees Black men, Pernambuco exemplifies their resiliency, as well as the beauty they bring to the world.

Moira Pernambuco (African and Amerindian [Wapishana], b. 1969), Troy, 1995. Black-and-white photograph (Mamiya 6x7 [medium format] camera).

Looking at the photograph of Troy, I am reminded being told as a young boy that “sleep is the cousin of death” and to “sleep with one eye open.” Seldom do we tell Black men to rest and relax, to proactively take care of our bodies and minds. Troy reminds us that the act of self-care is, in truth, a masculine act and necessary to the path of resistance—you cannot resist if you are broken down physically and spiritually. While the figure may appear vulnerable and open as he lies on his back with his eyes closed, that does not mean he lacks an awareness of place and self. His calm, meditative posture exhibits a higher consciousness and a connection between the body and one’s surroundings.