In honor of Black History Month, the Blue Door Art Center is proud to present a Black and White Photography Retrospective of the work of 93-year-old Yonkers resident, Omar Kharem. This exhibit opens Saturday, February 20, 1 - 6pm and will run till Saturday, March 20, 2021. Black and white photographs of 1950's Jazz greats and photographs of New York in the 50's. 60's and 70's are featured. He photographed John Coltrane, Betty Carter, Archie Shepp, Alice Coltrane, Charles Moffett, Lee Morgan, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Eddie Mathias, Billy Harper and many others. Curated by Blue Door Executive Director Julie Cousens & fiber artist and Omar's partner, Linda J. Mendelson. The is a family friendly exhibition. Social distancing will be observed, masks required, no food or drink allowed. Gallery Hours Thursdays and Fridays 3 - 6pm, Saturdays 1 - 6pm.
Mr. Omar Kharem was born in New York City in 1927, and spent much of his life there, living in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. He was surrounded by art, theater, and music, with household visitors the likes of Fats Waller, as well as many other artists.
As a young man, while in service for the Army Air Force, Omar traveled the United States during segregation, as well as serving in the Pacific. This experience had a profound and lastingeffect on him. While on the island of Guam he began to study music and learned to play the clarinet. Once discharged he continued his studies at the Hartnett School of Music in NYC, also studying the Conga drum. Music, from his childhood introduction through his later studies, would remain a lifelong love.
In the late 1950’s Mr. Kharem became interested in photography, which became his major focus, though music remained ever present in his life. He spent many years working as a freelance photographer. His work has been published in The New York Times, The Village Voice, Panorama Magazine, on album covers and many publications of the work of African American photographers.
Having many friends in the then thriving Jazz world Mr. Kharem had a unique opportunity to photograph some of America’s great Jazz musicians as they improvised and played in clubs, lofts, and other venues. He photographed John Coltrane, Betty Carter, Archie Shepp, Alice Coltrane, Charles Moffett, Lee Morgan, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Eddie Mathias, Billy Harper and many others. The list is endless. His love for music and photography enhanced each other.
Influenced by Cartier-Bresson, Al Hicks, Eugene Smith, and Gordon Parks, photography became a true art for Mr. Kharem. His black and white images documenting NYC during the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s evokes another time, another era which urge you to look further into the subject before you. Whether it’s a portrait of someone young or old, a candid street scene, or a shadow falling on a building, the power of his imagery is always thought provoking.
Mr. Kharem’s work has been exhibited at galleries and museums throughout NYC, including The Studio Museum of Harlem, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Brooklyn Museum, The Middle Collegiate Church Gallery, The 4th Street Photo Gallery and Kenkeleba Gallery.