As Black History Month continues, photographer and poet Nadia Alexis presented her collection of photographs “What Endures” at a SouthTalks event last Thursday.
As African music played in the background, a crowd filled the room to hear Alexis present “What Endures,” a collection of 16 black and white photos that she began in 2019. The photos showcase the “enduring spirit of Black Women” and explore themes of survival, freedom and transcendence.
“I think that what I want viewers to feel a bit is there is a certain level of transcendence and freedom that the subject feels throughout the photographs,” Alexis said. “I want them to think of the subjects as having agency.”
The photographs feature both self-portraits of Alexis and portraits of her mother, both set in nature. While some of the photographs show the subject in focus, others use a long exposure to show the subject in movement.
Janeth Jackson, a writer for the Southern Register who has come to know Alexis, said the photos conjured strong feelings for her and allowed her to make her own decisions about what each photo meant to her.
“The first word that comes to mind when I see these is breathtaking. They are haunting and exciting. I really like how there isn’t a specific focus in most of the photos, it feels like it’s up to the viewer to decide,” Jackson said.
The exhibition, hosted by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, is a part of SouthTalks, a series of events (including lectures, performances, film screenings, and panel discussions) that explores the interdisciplinary nature of Southern Studies.
Alexis, an English Ph.D. with a concentration in creative writing, student at the University of Mississippi, was born in Harlem to Haitian immigrants. Her Haitian heritage drives the intention behind “What Endures,” as Alexis writes that the series “interrogates questions of survival and danger, specifically concerning the lives of Black women who experience disproportionately high rates of state and interpersonal erasure and violence in the United States, Haiti and elsewhere.”
“The only gaze I am really thinking about is Black peoples’ gaze. I don’t let that dictate my work but I feel like that’s who I’m speaking to,” Alexis said. “If other people are also moved by it, that’s great, but it’s really important for Black women to see themselves.”
Agreeing with the photographer, Jackson said that the photos speak to the misinterpretation that she feels as a Black woman.
“Interpretation is up to the viewer, you don’t know exactly what she wants you to think. As a Black woman, many of us are often misunderstood and people project their ideas on us,” Jackson said.
While the photos were made with the explicit intention of creating a connection to a Black audience, graduate student Lilly Slaughter still felt as though she could understand the sentiments behind the collection.
“It’s accessible to any viewer of any color. As a white woman myself I can connect with it and see her progression through the series,” Slaughter said.
Alexis began her career as a photographer in 2014 while living in New York City. As both a poet and photographer, Alexis said she has been inspired by other Black, female artists who have been successful in their own fields, like artist Carrie Mae Williams and writer Toni Morrison. Other sources of inspiration for Alexis stem from her Haitian roots, and she relates it to the setting of the photos in the collection.
“When I think of Haiti I think of the natural world, the rich, beautiful land, in addition to the people. My family is from the countryside in Haiti so I think it’s kind of in me,” Alexis said.
The established connection to the natural world did not go unnoticed by attendees. Jackson said she could sense the connection to her African roots.
“I feel a connection to being back home, being in Africa, through the nature in the photos,” Jackson said.
Four additional photos on display are a part of a new collection that is still a work in progress. In contrast to the photos in “What Endures,” the new collection features vibrant colors while still focusing on subjects in nature.
“I had been thinking about doing color for a while. Color is really important to my Haitian culture, and I’m also really interested in nature, which is beautiful and colorful. It’s definitely a different direction,” Alexis said.
“What Endures” is on display for public viewing in the Tupelo Room of the Barnard Observatory until Feb. 18. A collection that deals with the traumas and struggles of Black women in particular, Black History Month provides a perfect contextual background to understand and appreciate Alexis’ works.
