Our next reading will, in some ways, be very different from most of what we’ve read so far, yet it is also the embodiment of some ideas that we’ve covered. You should also note that this particular reading is a part of the department-wide initiative to examine the work of Gordon Parks.

The reading is a photo-essay entitled What Their Cry Means to Me…, with words and pictures by Gordon Parks. It was originally published in Life Magazine in May of 1963. Note that the following PDF also includes a piece anonymously authored by Life’s editorial board, with photograph’s by Parks. Please examine the interplay of image and text in this article. Here is the PDF: Parks_WhatTheirCryMeansToMe_1963

Your response to this reading will also be slightly different. Your objective will be to create your own evaluation of identity, or a movement associated with ‘identity politics’ today. You must create a 3-4 page PDF that incorporates images and text to address the topic. You can write about personal experiences, or adopt the stance of a neutral observer. You can use your own images or imagery drawn from advertising, news or other media outlets. It is ok if your design and text are not completely polished (this is still just a regular weekly assignment post), but think about Typophoto or ‘an inventory of effects’ as tools for addressing current issues related to identity and representation.