MARTINE BARRAT
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Harlem During the Block Party
Harlem, New York, 1984: “These are the breakers.”
Best photo of the year in LIFE magazine’s 1984 publication, and can also be found on the “Best photography of Life Magazine” book.
was an American photographer, musician, writer and film director. He was prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in issues of civil rights, poverty, and African-Americans, throughout the 1940s to the 1970s.
Gordon Park wrote three texts about my work. And this text was written to apply for the Guggenheim foundation. I didn’t get the grant.
GORDON PARKS
There was a long line of people who came to see my show…
320 photos & several videos
The picture of Love welcomed people at the entrance of the museum.
She was so proud when I showed it to her, I wish she had been there with me.
I was blessed because David Murray came to the opening and played his music as a surprise,
his text was on the wall once you arrived to the show.
I will be forever thankful to the curator, Jean Luc Monterosso, of this exhibit who gave me complete freedom to hire Alexandre Athane and Aisha Barat and be as creative as I wanted to be.
Foreword by Gordon Parks and Martin Scorsese
A book on boxers and young fighters published by Viking Penguin and originally published in Germany by Rowohlt Verlag as Die Boxer. My dream is to get this book published again with signed photographs of Muhammad Ali. When the book came out, I was extremely happy reading the article by Margo Jefferson in the New York Times. With the article of Margo Jefferson, I went to multiple bookshops and that’s how I found out Viking Penguin never put me in their catalog. I was very sad about it because my book was never seen, the foreword was written by Martin Scorsese and Gordon Parks.
I hope to publish this book again with the 20 pictures signed by Muhammad Ali.
New York, 1993 “Reality Illusion and the Photographer’s Art
Margo Jefferson is an American writer, academic, and winner of a Pulitzer Prize for criticism. She previously served as book and arts critic for Newsweek and The New York Times. Currently, she is a professor at Columbia University. I enjoy all of her books: On Michael Jackson, Negroland, Black Dolls, Over Michael Jackson, Roots of Time, Constructing a Nervous System.
Margo Jefferson
I was so proud happy, and thankful to Yohji.
Hand signature of
YOHJI YAMAMOTO
20 photographs signed by
I was dreaming to show my boxing photography to Muhammad Ali. One day I call him and ask him if I could show him, he told me send them to him, as soon he got them he call me and told me, I going to receive a package from him. I received an express package and he sign each one of them, I was so moved and so happy, this was best present I ever received, I thank him forever with my admiration.
1980 - Trainer Jaime Morales and Otis Brown, a.k.a."Kid Chocolate."
Morales gave him that nickname because the boy had a left hook that reminded him of the original Kid Chocolate. Jaime Morales came to New York from Puerto Rico in 1953.
"I always teach the best I can. Kid Chocolate was one of the best. I call Otis Brown 'Kid Chocolate.' When you give a name like that, the kid feels better. He feels like he is somebody.
"I know I was born to take care of children. I love children. I save my money so I can buy them gloves, and food for them after the fight. "
“YOU DO THE CRIME, YOU DO THE TIME
I dedicate my exhibition to La Mama, Ellen Stewart, who brought me to New York to dance in one of her theaters after she saw me dancing with Graziela Martinez and The Soft Machine in Scotland.
Featuring Carlos "Charlie" Suarez, President of the Ghetto Brothers, and Vickie, President of the Roman Queens. A series of tapes, two hours of which have been shown internationally, was initially presented at Columbia University by philosopher Félix Guattari. Then, in 1978, it was presented at the Whitney Museum with a huge exhibition called You Do The Crime, You Do The Time in New York, then on television in Italy, several times on Sunday nights on the program TG2, and also at one of the biggest exhibitions “Fuck You” Film Festival in the ruins of Rome. I am very thankful to Bernardo Bertolucci, who took me to Italy to showcase my work. My exhibition is dedicated to Helene Stewart LA MAMA.
Vickie (1976) - Excerpt
Invitation of the Whitney Museum, New York.
All of my first photographs of the South Bronx were on the wall, the video was being played on the screen, and rolls color photography were on the floor. One gang member advised the curator of the show to put them on the floor because there was no more space on the wall, the curator was extremely thankful to the gang member for his idea.
Martine Barrat et ses amis du Ghetto sont en train d’écrire, á la vidéo, la vraie histoire du peuple noir américain.
Article by Ianthe Thomas
Charlie Suarez
Charlie is the president of an important South Bronx gang,
The Ghetto Brothers.
He organized a huge meetings for all the gangs, together.
letter To The Whitney Museum,
To whom it may concern,
Your young american filmmaker series was definitely enlightening, especially the video and photos of Martine Barrat, but I must say that a showing of this caliber was caged for the sake of awareness.
Can you imagine what the world would be like if people put away prejudice, hate and ignorance it would be crazy we might even say that it could inflick the world on what a catastrophe, can you imagine peace on earth and goodwill. Gang leaders leading this member to construction site where they serve as guards and the expression of the artistmaking not only the trains his gallery but sites for parks and brighten up the gloomy buildings. Contained expressions of violence, violence is energy if negative vibrations instead violence of positive vibes such as a painting, sculpture. Why not express violence in peace like “The Roman Kings” in “The Trial” and “Vickie.”
Letter of Carlos Suarez , President of Gang.
Yeah Ma!
Can you just see me walking naked with just a Japanese robe draped from my shoulders, I walk to a steam and kneel, I drink, the sun is hot the grass is cool – I sit cross my legs and get high, high on your love, on freedom and high, away just trip I lay down and make love to myself, to you, the sun, grass water and enjoy Freedom!
Charlie
At the Whitney, in the first room, where I had my show, he wrote a big dictionary which extended from the ceiling to the floor defining the language of the street. Many people were standing there trying to learn, I remember the woman from the Italian Vogue so enthusiastic, and behind all those people were the gang members watching the people learn their language.
South Bronx next Prospect Avenue Carlos Suarez “Charlie Karate Brother” after being beaten up by the police for no reason. His grandmother took the pictures just after. His little brother was there when it happen. His pose for the picture show us that he was there when the cops did what you see on the picture.
My big dream is to get his book published. I love his writing. He was a very important president of a big gang in the South Bronx called the Ghetto Brothers. He had a big meeting of the big gangs together to stop fighting each other.
The South Bronx
Photo by Clemment Cann.
The Roman Kings working together in the South Bronx.
I found this painting on a wall in the South Bronx.
Photography of
MY ONLY FRIEND THAT CAME WITH ME TO THE BRONX, TO MEET MY FRIEND FROM THE GANG.
TRUE WARRIORS
pre selected for the Atlantic Bridge Film Festival.
A special screening of my film was shown in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.
Edited by Leandro Ricciardelli.
Tina Turner
1939 — 2023
In Loving Memory
She was so happy that Yohji Yamamoto sent me to take pictures of her with his clothes in London. We had such a beautiful time together.
At the beach in New York, she is flying on the flag.
I can hear her singing, with her beautiful smile.
Two exhibitions organized in the Cultural Center of La
Goutte d’Or and several photos hung in their park by…
Martine Barrat
“The moment we cease to hold each other,
the moment we break faith with one another.
The sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”
James Baldwin
I can’t remember the name of the photographer who took this picture.
Drawing of Alexandre Athané, my dear friend. He was so precious when he was my assistant for many years. I’m still so thankful for the work he did for me.
One of the letters Camilia Gautret wrote to me and made me so happy. I want to share it with people looking at my website to share that happiness. She is 8 years old, she lives in Paris, and she writes to me very often. She is an avid writer.
“I wish I had another lifetime to write about your photography.” - Gilles Deleuze
Deleuze had written this to me in the last letter I received from him the day before he committed suicide. I’m so sad I keep looking for the letter, but I cannot find it among the mess of my papers.
Posters for George Lyons
Every year since George Lyons died, for his birthday I put a new poster on the wall of his barber shop on 141st close to Lenox AVE. The city accepted, finally, to change the street name in his honor in the spring. I will talk with a big restaurant in Harlem to see if they will be involved to donate food on the day of the name change. In France, I will see if I can get drinks for publicity.
Governor One day decided to put more pictures of George on the wall next to the poster, we miss him, he was very loved in the community. He organized all the basketball games in the park on 141st and was the best domino player. Since he was killed by a lost bullet nobody comes to play domino anymore.
After he died I put this poster on his door. Someone took it away and I had to make another one.
