RAHIM FORTUNE
HARDTACK
Published by Loose Joints, 2024
Book size 28.7 x 23.8 cm
144 pages
Hardcover
Language English
Signed by the artist
Flour, water, and salt. These are the sole ingredients that make Hardtack: a Civil War-era food long-associated with survivalism, land migration, and its extremely long shelf life. Drawing from this history as a metaphor for the long-enduring nature of Black culture and traditions, Hardtack uncovers the roots that tie Fortune's native landscape to the conflicts and nuances associated with the post-emancipation Americas.
In the follow-up to his breakout monograph I can't stand to see you cry, Fortune borrows from the language of vernacular and archival photography to question the historical relationship of his community to photography; rooted in the landscape, Fortune often uses sites of historical and cultural interest as a guide but not a subject, implying the deep ties that bind modern Black communities resiliently to their regions, in the face of both adversity and joy.
A significant theme in Hardtack is Fortune's striking portraits of coming-of-age traditions. Inside, young bull-riders, praise dancers, and pageant queens inherit and gracefully embrace these forms of community ritual. Fortune's dignifying eye pays tribute to these cultural performances' rigor, discipline and creative flair, alongside the intergenerational conversation between young people and elders handing down these traditions. Collecting together nearly a decade of work, Hardtack continues Fortune's weaving of documentary and personal history, marking a sincere expression of love and passion to a region that has nourished the artist personally and creatively, while also marking an important contribution to photographing the American South; with a text by Imani Perry.
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Flour, water, and salt. These are the only ingredients that make Hardtack: a Civil War food long associated with survivalism, land migration, and its extremely long shelf life. Drawing on this story as a metaphor for the enduring nature of Black culture and traditions, Hardtack uncovers the roots that connect Fortune’s indigenous landscape to the conflicts and nuances associated with post-emancipation Americas.
In the remainder of his monograph, Fortune borrows from the language of vernacular and archival photography to interrogate his community's historical relationship to photography; rooted in the landscape, Rahim Fortune often uses sites of historical and cultural interest as a guide, but not as a subject, implying the deep connections that bind modern black communities with resilience to their regions, in the face of adversity and joy.
A prominent theme in Hardtack is Fortune’s striking portraits of coming-of-age traditions. Within, young bull riders, praise dancers, and pageant queens gracefully inherit and adopt these forms of communal ritual. Fortune’s dignified eye pays homage to the rigor, discipline, and creativity of these cultural performances, as well as the intergenerational conversation between the young and the old who pass on these traditions. Bringing together nearly a decade of work, Hardtack continues the weaving of Fortune’s documentary and personal history, marking a heartfelt expression of love and passion for a region that nourished the artist personally and creatively, while also marking an important contribution to photography of the American South; with text by Imani Perry.