Artist's Statement Covering the Photographic Works of Raymond Lucas

8/8/2019 Artist's Statement Covering the Photographic Works of Raymond Lucas

1/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 1

The Roots of Inspiration for the Raymond Lucas Collection

Music has always been in my life. I have never lived in a home

without a piano as part of the living room landscape along with a

host of some misguided family members convinced of their own

respectable voice and instrumental musical talent. Music was

always equivalent to joy whether experienced through the

humming and singing of my relatives around the house, or through

the radio, or via records on the stereo.

Music is like a bright light for me. And, although I saw jazz as a

child as a more subdued blue light, I learned very early that Jazz

was something very special. Jazz records were always in a

special pile, and it was simply understood that there would be hell

to pay if the surface of one of these treasured records got

damaged or scratched.

This thing called Jazz music also stirred something in my parents

that was very different and I got use to the sequence of events

that led to their periodic transformation. My mother or father

(usually my mother) would carefully remove the records from the

album covers and sleeves and gently stack them on the shiny

metal rod in the center of the turntable. And by the time that the first record hit the turntable platter, my

parents, either individually, or together, were sitting on the couch, heads back, with a lit cigarette holstered in

the ashtray waiting for the soothing sound of Coleman Hawkins breath latent tenor sax or unpredictable

harmonic shock of a Count Basie opening.

Jazz listening was sometimes accompanied with alcohol usually scotch or a beer. This seemed appropriate

since many of the musicians on the album covers looked as if they were doing the same. I especially remember

a Coleman Hawkins album and noted how much more relaxed he looked than Nat King Cole or other more

mainstream musicians on their albums. The blue tint effect of the black and white picture along with Colemans

casual and somewhat disheveled look just said Cool.

Another favorite was their Big Beat on the Organ album by Jimmy Smith. I must have been about 6 or 7 at

the time and my brother had to explain the metaphor from the picture of a huge red beet lying on the keyboard

of an organ. Now that was really cool.

Jazz was one of the bright joys in my parents lives that helped them decompress from the dull, dim darkness

of oppression and racism that they faced EVERYDAY while they struggled to carve out a good life for their

family. And, it should be no surprise that I have been walking into the light of jazz some part of my entire life

through listening, performing and capturing the images that represent those joyful moments of freedom that I

watched my parents cherish and enjoy so much to help them deal with the dark side of being Black in

America.

My photographs convey only a mere portion of what I felt when the image was captured. What is missing is

the music produced by the subject, in that space, in that moment in time, never to be heard again the same

way. I want to make people feel the music through that one instant from the musicians expression and body

language. I want people to experience the joy and freedom that these musicians feel through their expression

of music.


2/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 2

Race Has Always Mattered

As a very young Black Boy in the late 50s and early 60s, I struggled with what was NOT said about

the dark side of the African American experience. No one ever discussed, in my early years, the

fact that I never saw a Black person on a billboard or TV commercial, or TV show. And I was never

allowed to be comfortable enough to ask why. My family worked extremely hard to project a fairly

perfect world for me, taking every opportunity to hide the fact that the playing field was not level forthem, or that they had to operate by a different, more difficult set of rules than those of their white

counterparts. It was not hard to see through the thick vale they tried to create, especially when the

whole family would crowd around the TV like blockers protecting a quarterback, screaming with joy

when a Black entertainer or celebrity showed up on the box. Although communication about race

and differences was not direct, it was not always ambiguous, either. I learned by watching my

parents reactions to an unfair and unjust world. I noted the difference in the dynamic of

conversations they would have with White strangers

(formal and tense) vs. Black strangers (casual and

friendly.) There was nothing ambiguous about these

exchanges.

We moved to the Windsor Hills community in

Baltimore in 1960 and as we drove around to survey

the surrounding neighborhoods, we passed Gwynn

Oak Amusement Park. I was very excited at having

such a place so close by. But, when I asked if we

could go, my fathers response was Were not

members. My brother had to translate this for me

and explain that this meant that Black people were not

welcome there. Imagine an eight year-old explaining

this to a 5 year-old!

In 1960, my parents allowed my brother and I to be

pioneers as we integrated the youth bowling league at

John ny Uni tas Col t Lanesin Baltimore County. Our

love for bowling trumped any misgivings we had about

being comfortable in the all white environment. My

brother and I learned that being good at something

could potentially mean more than race. And, we were

VERY good. This early immersion into White culture

gave us incred ib le advantage, and our parents

treated it as if it were no big deal.


3/17


4/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 4

I am well beyond my shameful and traitorous thoughts of longing for White Privilege and have grown in to

becoming a Proud, Black Man that is extremely proud of my heritage. But, this has been a long journey marked

with a mixture of failures and accomplishments. And I am very fortunate that the scales tip heavily on the

accomplishments side. The roots of my success can be attributed, primarily, to the development of my

Emotional Intelligence that facilitated my ability to communicate, interact and navigate through many culturally

diverse worlds. I was blessed with very strong and proud parents who knew who they were and they put NO

limitations on what I believed I could do. In addition to my parents, I was raised by The Village comprised of

friends and extended family that had HIGH expectations and a lot of love that was clearly needed to transcend

all of the ignorance and nonsense that was in my way.

The charcoal figures in two of my pictures, Juliette and Blute are my interpretations of the beauty that I see

inside of my beautiful, Black People.

Jul iette Blute

Throughout the past 25 years, my journey into genealogy has had an incredibly positive impact on my

psyche as I discover more and more about the incredible lives and accomplishments of my ancestors as far

back as the mid 1700s. And I thought I had prob lems!

This Underground Rai lroad narrat ive was wri t ten by my g reat-great Uncle Abraham Howard Wallace, a Conductor for

the Underground Rai lroad.


5/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 5

Jazz and Freedom Go Hand in Hand

Per Webster, freedom has a broad range of application from tota l absence of restra int to merely

a sense of not be ing un du ly h ampered or frust ra ted. In other words, unbridled freedom by one

will eventually result in disruption to the freedom of another. This is why society has rules and

guidelines to maintain order. And, Freedom must be exercised within the context of societys rules

and guidelines.

Jazz pianist Thelonious Monk said, Jazz and freedom go hand

in hand. Roger Villines of the Jazz Patriots added to Monk,

indicating that The act of improvising jazz is a way of

expressing ind iv idu a l f reedom whi le at the same t ime working

wi th in a team with others as they express the i r ind iv idua l

f reedom. Such a process inevi tab ly leads to innovat ion ,

wh ich is clearly seen in the explo sion o f styles that are al l

called jazz.

Just as Freedom within society is subject to rules and guidelines, Jazz often follows the sameplaybook, even during a soloists improvisation. Jazz rules may suggest that the soloist make their

primary choice of notes from a specific set of chords as the song moves across a continuum of time.

Musicians are free to take liberties with different rhythms combined with their note selections from

the chords that the group has agreed to share, or as designated by the composer during that

particular measure of time in the song.

The bottom line is how does the resulting music make you feel? And, were the musicians successful

in imposing their feelings on you through their music? Did you feel joy, sadness, were you inspired?

Was your experience hampered by your inability to see them perform?

The Age of Obama

From the words of Monk and Villnes, President Elect Barack

Obamas mission can be represented as a Jazz metaphor as he

tries to find a way to lead people to a way of expressing

ind iv idua l f reedom whi le at the same t ime working wi th in a

team with others as they express their individual freedom, in

a manner that will lead to the innovation we need to save our

country and our world. Obama cannot successfully lead a world

orchestra to play the same songs as written. He needs flexibility.OBAMA NEEDS JAZZ!

Photographed @ Ellicott Dredging


6/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 6

A Tribute to Keeping the Arts in Public Schools (& my band directors)

I took this Black & White photo series of my fellow, young High School

musicians in 1973 at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore.

(Clearly, the BEST Band in Town.) This was where I experienced that

special moment of Dynamic Convergence bringing music and

photography together in my life, not realizing the powerful impact this

marriage would have on me. From 7:00 am to as late as 7:00 pm, we

(today we would be known as Band Geeks,) were in school. There

was no question as to where we could be found. If not in class, we

were either in the band room with Concert Band playing Peter

Mennins Canzona, or on the field playing Isaac Hayes Shaft,

preparing for a parade or game, or playing a Reppard Stone or Wit

Williams original song or arrangement for our Jazz Band.

The collateral skills that students gain from exposure to The Arts in

public schools, are vast. Skills that I developed through my Band

experience included, but were not limited to:

Listening

Leadership

Discipline

Mathematics

Teamwork

Me & Dr. Tom Delaine

My HS Band Director

Academics are certainly important, but I am sure that our br i l l ian t leadersh ip of our pu bl ic schools can

figure out a way to leverage The Arts to help students pass their No Child Left Behind Tests. I am

certain that I would not be as successful as I have been today without these experiences that enhanced my

skills and shaped my values through my exposure to The Arts in publ ic school . Thanks to Mrs. Ruby

Gil l , Mr. Sturtevant, Dr. Delaine and Dr. Stone! An d also, a special thanks t o my p hoto graphy

teacher, Mr. Wallace Badenwho shot the Marching Band picture at the top of the page, in 1973!

Robert Stur tevant, my Lemm el

Jr. High Band Director Dr. Reppard Stone and Dr. Thomas Delaine

My Douglass High School Band Directors


7/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 7

Douglass High School Series - 1973


8/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 8

Jazz and Freedom, A Natural Combination

She is an award winning poet, author, actress, civil rights leader, Jazz Singer?? Yes, Dr. Maya Angelou was

a Jazz Singer. What is more amazing is that she didnt sing jazz in New York, St Louis or New Orleans, she

sang Jazz in clubs in Hawaii! I could not find a better metaphor for Freedom than through the incredible diverse

works of Dr. Maya Angelou.

This picture of the esteemed Dr. Angelou that I shot in November 2004 in Greensboro, North Carolina, is

extremely special and has very deep meaning for me for a number of reasons. The beautiful Black Sisters

flanking Dr. Angelou are famous in their own right. They are Malaak and Attallah Shabaaz, daughters ofEl-

Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known to most as Malcolm X. Dr. Angelou returned to the United States from

Africa to work with Malcolm X to establish the Organization of African American Unity (OAAU,) with a mission

of engaging the United Nations for African American civil rights. Shortly after Dr. Angelou returned to the U.S.,

Malcolm X was assassinated.

Following Malcolm Xs assassination, Dr. Angelou went to Hawaii where she had a brief career a s a night club

Jazz Singer.

This photo on the left can, in no way, capture the essence of the spiritual connection shared by these

three wonderful women. It was apparent that they had not seen each other for some time. I can still

feel the energy from this

meeting that occurred in 2004.

So, I chose to call this photo,

Joyful Elation.

Joyfu l Elat ion

L to r: Ms. Malaak Shabaaz, Dr. Maya Angelo u

And Ms. Attal lah Shabaaz


9/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 9

Jazz Freedom, Freedom Jazz

I saw you perform.

I heard your music.

I felt your joy.

I watched you revel in your freedom

Playing Jazz on your Viola?

No rules. No constraints. No confinement.

Freedom, unbridled passion

Becoming one with your instrument

Coordinating motion, vibrating strings

Using the Key to choose your notes

Hearing your choice and knowing it fits

Selecting rhythm from your inner vibe

Anticipation -changes, bridge, changes

Making youre unique music yours and yours aloneNever to be heard the same way again.

JazzFreedomFreedomJazz

Welcome back into my life.

ByRaymond W. Lucas

MelanieBohemian Caverns

Wash in t o n DC 2007


10/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 10

Melanie Behind the ImageAs I watched my cousin, Melanie, perform at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington DC, back in June of 2007,my mind had difficulty processing all that I was feeling. I had to sort through my pure joy of seeing my cousin,a relative who I have reconnected with after more than 45 years; the excitement of experiencing her incredibletalent, and the anger from years of missed opportunity to know Melanie.

The source of controversy that drove a virtual wedge between our families, originated around the turn of the

20th century. And, this wedge was SKIN COLOR. You see, mygrandmother had dark skin and my grandfather and his side of thefamily was very light. And, as the story goes, when my grandfatherbrought my grandmother home to Fremont OH from Macon MO, hisyounger sister, Linn iesaid to him, Why did you bring HERhome? Daddy didnt even keep a BLACK CHICKEN in the back

yard! These painful words caused an unspoken separationand alienation between our families based on a very warpedsense of worth based on Shades of Blackness.

This color sickness in the Black community is believed, bysome, to have been fueled by a man named Willie Lynch whose

ALLEDGEDfamous speech in 1712 on the banks of the James River was purposefully designed to teach

slave owners how to keep their property in check through the exploitation of differences. Although thelegitimacy of this speech is in question by scholars, references in the speech that encourage slave owners toturn slaves against themselves so owners can maintain control, seems like a page from a Slave OwnersInvestment Protection Guide Book. When slaves were fighting among themselves, they were not causingtrouble for Massa!

This shameful skin tone prejudiced behavior amongst my people continues tobe a serious issue in Black communities. I still hear Black teens commentingon the prize of a light skinned girlfriend with good hair! This disgustingmentality continues to split the black community by the various Shades ofBlackness, and often goes unspoken. Director Spike Lee took this issue ondirectly in his film Schoo l Dazewhen he spoofed the Wannabesagainstthe Jiggabooson a mythical college campus that was as real as you can

get. The light skinned Wannabeswith flowing hair were supposedly, aprize as opposed to the nappy headed, dark skinned Jiggaboos. And,Jiggaboois not a term that I suggest you use freely. Casual use of it costDon Imushis job! The unspoken message that a Black child picks up fromthis nonsense is that the closer your color and hair are to the White -Anglostandard, the betteryou are. This, I believe, is the biggest Con of modernt imes.

I was always amused in the summer months as I watched white people bake in the sun, basting themselveswith suntan lotion to darken their skin to make them feel more beautiful. I often wondered how dark their skinwould have to get before they would lose their White Privilege. How does a Black child interpret this madnesswithout questioning their own value, based on the shade of their skin?

I worked with a white guy that was very comfortable comparing his suntanned arm to mine and bragging howhis was darker. I just told him to get a copy of the movie Watermelon Man, where a white man mysteriouslywoke up as a Black man. I was certain that this would offer him a different perspective in a Black mans shoes.I dont know if he ever saw the movie, but he never compared his arm to mine again.

Feeling the Freedom of Melanies improvisations reminded me of the hope that I have, not only for thereconciliation of my family around this subtle, dark secret, but for all African Americans who continue to

Aunt Linnie holding Melanie,

while I get my cheeks pinched

by Charlotte, in Fremont OH

Josephine Allen Wallace

-

Felix Whetsel Wallace

1874-1941 Grandfather


11/17

RAYMOND W. LUCAS 11

possess this divisive, color affliction. I have always loved Jazz, but I didnt really know why until nowJazz isFreedomFreedom is Jazz.

Juliet

Whats in a name? What do you hear when the waves of sound born from each syllable pushes theair to tweak your ears? How do you interpret the nature of those rarefactions pain, irritationannoyance, or pleasure, beauty, joy. How do these feelings come together? Do they remain bythemselves? Do they keep their original identities until their schizophrenic dance at the speed ofthought, births a new experience never felt before from the combination of such diversity? Willyour light speed evaluation render points for the plus or minus column .pleasure or painjoy orsadness. You never remember having to make a conscious choice. You always know.

The vibrations that translate to what we believe we know as Juliet, has new meaning for me. Nolonger is my mind cluttered with thoughts of Romeo, Shakespeare or a feuding family destroying anatural bond between two lovers. I see her face, I hear her music, and I feel the beauty and joyfrom an instant, a mere instant in time with respect to my lifeline that has changed me forever.

Something is different about me because I heard her music, saw her face, and shook her delicatehand. Whats in a name? A Rose by any other name is truly, STILL a Rose.


12/17


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RAYMOND W. LUCAS 13

Scape Series

Color Contrivance 2005

Significance 2009


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RAYMOND W. LUCAS 14

Centennial Turtle Heads - 2007

Cloud Wars I - 2007


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RAYMOND W. LUCAS 15

Cloud Wars II 2007 Snowbound Columbia 2010


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RAYMOND W. LUCAS 16

Tokyos Imperial Garden - 2000


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RAYMOND W. LUCAS 17

My collection will continue to grow as I continue my journey through life,meeting new people, seeing and learning new things. And, I truly believe that:

in LIFE, there are no real FINALS. We just run o ut oft ime.

Thank You,

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Documents

Artist's Statement Covering the Photographic Works of Raymond Lucas