The SPACE Art Gallery welcomes Robert Carter Photography Show 'Femme Noire' April 2020
Robert hails from southern Maryland, though he has called Philadelphia home for over a decade. Having discovered the impact of aesthetics early on through classic films and musicals of the 40’s onward, his love for theatricality and storytelling became something of an obsession. He channeled this hunger for creative expression into various mediums, including singing, acting, writing, dancing, and playing the trumpet, before finally finding photography. A self-described lifelong student, he followed this passion to the collegiate level and graduated with honors and multiple distinctions from The Art Institute of Philadelphia.
His wildly diverse interests include opera, literature, anime, pop culture, nature, and world mythologies. Visually, he counts the works of Richard Avedon, Melina Matsoukas, Rob Marshall, and Michelangelo Caravaggio among his major inspirations. These eclectic influences culminate in an impactful visual style that is markedly expressive, vibrant, and bold. A lover of art history, Robert’s work often combines elements of his commercial training with sensibilities that allude to his love of afrofuturism and the classical arts.
In 2019, Robert premiered Black Boy Blue, a recurring series of multidisciplinary group art exhibitions featuring Black male-identifying artists. The showcases center various themes through the lens of the Black male perspective and experience, with the goal of inspiring, celebrating, and enlightening. Robert serves as the curator, producer, and host for the series, which includes panel discussions and live performances.
Robert’s clients range from Olympians to pop stars, and most everywhere in between. His work has been featured nationally and internationally on billboards, television, and various publications, and this is only the beginning for the young artist. As demand for his unique perspective increases, he is en route to becoming a world-class creative, one dynamic image at a time.
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Femme Noire
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“Femme Noire” – celebrates the intersection of art and design through the lens of world history and Black artists. Featuring couture designs by Philadelphia’s Dom Streater, the series explores graphic textiles inspired by queens throughout history, and arresting silhouettes that are at once timeless and fresh.