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Latoya Ruby Frazier Takes on Levi’S.” © Art21, Inc Frazier Production still from the New York Close Up film, “LaToya Ruby Frazier Takes on Levi’s.” © Art21, Inc. 2011. art21.org/latoyarubyfrazier LaToya Ruby Frazier Born Media and Materials 1982 (Braddock, Pennsylvania) photography ABOUT performance Education Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, BFA Key Words and Ideas Syracuse University, MFA activism portraiture documentary power TEACHING CONNECTIONS TEACHING Lives and Works environmental racism Chicago, Illinois degradation social commentary injustice storytelling About the Artist An artist and activist, LaToya Ruby Frazier Related Artists uses photography, video, and performance Robert Adams Alfredo Jaar to document personal and social histories in Jordan Casteel Liz Magic Laser the United States, specifically the industrial Mel Chin Sally Mann heartland. Having grown up in the shadow Abigail DeVille Kerry James Marshall of the steel industry, Frazier has chronicled Olafur Eliasson Zanele Muholi the healthcare inequities and environmental Theaster Gates Catherine Opie —LaToya Ruby Frazier —LaToya crises faced by her family and her hometown of David Goldblatt Elle Pérez Braddock, Pennsylvania. The artist employs a Katy Grannan Pedro Reyes radically intimate, black-and-white documentary Graciela Iturbide Carrie Mae Weems approach that captures the complexity, injustice, and simultaneous hope of the Black American experience, often utilizing her camera and the medium of photography as an agent for social change. Her 2016 Flint is Family project traces the lives of three generations of women living through the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. “The mind is the battleground mind battleground is “The the for photography.” vv Art21 | Educators’ Guide | LaToya Ruby Frazier Art21 | Educators’ Guide | LaToya Ruby Frazier How to Use This Guide NOTE: Please view all films before Art21 encourages active engagement when teaching with our films. The questions sharing them with your students. In the and activities below are recommendations for incorporating Art21 films featuring filmLaToya Ruby Frazier Makes Moving LaToya Ruby Frazier into your teaching context. Each class will likely require different Pictures, there are instances of nudity. adaptations for best results. Before Viewing While Viewing After Viewing Establish key ideas, in anticipation of Support active viewing, and pause the Follow-up on key ideas and synthesize viewing the film(s): film to clarify particular ideas: information learned from the film(s): Frazier 1 What is documentary photography, 1 Write down a series of ten words 1 What questions does Frazier and why is it important? and phrases that come to mind while provoke through her work? viewing Frazier’s New York Close Up 2 Can portraiture be political? episode(s). 2 What types of actions do you think Can portraiture make social Frazier might like viewers to take commentary? If so, how? 2 Describe the kinds of things that after experiencing her work? How drive Frazier’s work and process. might some of these actions affect 3 How do some artists involve their How does she, through her work, the Black community? families in their works of art? If you engage with the issue of racism? were to ask a family member to help 3 How does Frazier’s family’s with making an artwork, who would 3 Make notes about the ways Frazier involvement affect the way you see you choose? Why? What would their involves her family in one or more of and understand the work presented? role be? the videos. What roles do they play? How might the work be interpreted differently, if she had used actors or models instead of her family members? Related Activities Create a performance that calls attention to a particular political or social issue. Share this work publicly. Ask for possible suggestions and community action to Engaging in creative activities after address the issue. watching Art21 films can reinforce learning and stimulate ideas. Art21 Research a variety of artists who have used photography to illuminate different encourages educators to adapt these kinds of injustice. Curate a slideshow of works by these artists and describe how activities to their classrooms. each artist approaches their work. Did you use this guide, Art21 films, or Art21-featured artists in your classroom? If so, tag Art21 on social media or email us at [email protected]..
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