Frederick Douglass, born in February 1818, died on 20th February 1895. Born close to Easton, Maryland In the years following his escape from bondage in 1838, Frederick Douglass emerged as a powerful and persuasive spokesman for the motive of abolition. His effectiveness against slavery is suggested was due in giant measure to his firsthand experience with slavery. Why did Frederick Douglass never smile? He deliberately did not smile for the picture because he wanted to counter “happy slave” caricatures that had been common at the time, specially in places such as minstrel shows where white actors performed racist skits. How did Frederick Douglass escape slavery? After an previously unsuccessful attempt, Frederick escaped from slavery in 1838 by posing as a free sailor wearing a red shirt, a tarpaulin hat, and a black scarf tied loosely round his neck. He boarded a train headed for Philadelphia. |
Daguerreotype or daguerreotype process:
The daguerreotype is a direct-positive process, creating a highly detailed image on a sheet of copper plated with a thin coat of silver without the use of a negative. The process required great care. ... After exposure to light, the plate was developed over hot mercury until an image appeared. |
Diaspora:
To speak of diaspora is to speak of a dispersion or scattering of people. It assumes forced or voluntary movement from a homeland – a geographical or cultural point of origin. |
Omar Victor Diop is a self-taught Senegalese photographer whose conceptually-rich work is in demand around the world. He lives and works in Dakar. Born in 1980, His work is interrogative and intriguing, prospective, yet has elements of vintage and draws inspiration from his African heritage. Why might Diop have wanted to create a self-portrait ‘disguised’ as Frederick Douglass? Diop might wanted to create a self-portrait ‘disguised’ as Frederick Douglass to show people what Douglass did and that he believes in what he did, for example standing against the practice of slavery and having strong beliefs and confidence to change he world for the better. |