Donavon Smallwood: Languor

Opening in November, the gallery will mount a project room salon of Donavon Smallwood’s portfolio Languor. Smallwood’s project takes an intimate and poetic look at New York’s Central Park during the lockdown era of the pandemic. Beneath the surface is a deeper reflection on the history of Seneca Village, the area running along what is now West 82nd-89th Streets and was a safe haven community predominantly for African Americans in the mid-19th Century. 

With the pandemic at hand and the history of Seneca Village in mind, Smallwood created photographs of tentative comfort and appreciation as an examination of nature, home, tranquility, and escape. Languor is currently on view Pier 24 Photography, San Francisco as part of their finale exhibition “Turning the Page” celebrating impactful photo books throughout the history of photography including Smallwood’s which was published by Trespasser Books and received the Aperture 2021 Portfolio Prize. 

Read more about Languor at The Washington Post.