Jules T. Allen
Encyclopedia
Jules Allen is a photographer and a tenured professor in
the Art & Photography Department of Queensboro Community College, City University of New York
, where he has taught for two decades. He was born in San Francisco, California.
He shares the belief of photographer Diane Arbus
, who states, “the more specific a thing is, the more general.” The artist, Danny Dawson has said, "Allen has a “keen eye for the obvious” in his lifelong work evocative of the contemporary black experience. His images place subjects drawn from the richness of black life within universal paradigms. They have inspired collaborations with journalists, visual artists, musicians, playwrights
, poets
, filmmakers.
Allen’s books include Hats and HatNots, Black Bodies and 2011 publication on boxing life in New York City's Gleason's Gym, Double Up: Photographs by Jules Allen, as well as current work on Marching Bands, Rhythmology and Veils & Masks. Widely exhibited in the U.S. and abroad, as shown in the Permanent Museum Collections & Exhibition listing below, he is the recipient of numerous grants and awards. His photographs are housed in museum collections worldwide. His extensive commercial and corporate work has been seen on covers of many national publications such as Business Week, Forbes and Black Enterprise magazines as well as within the Annual Reports of numerous corporate boards and distinguished clients within the music industry.
the Art & Photography Department of Queensboro Community College, City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
, where he has taught for two decades. He was born in San Francisco, California.
He shares the belief of photographer Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971) was an American photographer and writer noted for black-and-white square photographs of "deviant and marginal people or of people whose normality seems ugly or surreal." A friend said that Arbus said that she was "afraid.....
, who states, “the more specific a thing is, the more general.” The artist, Danny Dawson has said, "Allen has a “keen eye for the obvious” in his lifelong work evocative of the contemporary black experience. His images place subjects drawn from the richness of black life within universal paradigms. They have inspired collaborations with journalists, visual artists, musicians, playwrights
Ntozake Shange
Ntozake Shange born October 18, 1948, is an American playwright, and poet. As a self proclaimed black feminist, much of the content of her work addresses issues relating to race and feminism....
, poets
Sekou Sundiata
Sekou Sundiata was an African-American poet and performer, as well as a teacher at The New School in New York City. Famous students include musicians Ani DiFranco and Mike Doughty. His plays include The Circle Unbroken is a Hard Bop, The Mystery of Love, Udu, and The 51st Dream State...
, filmmakers.
Manthia Diawara
Manthia Diawara is a Malian writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, and art historian. Diawara holds the distinguished title of University Professor at New York University, where he is Director of the Institute of Afro-American Affairs.-Biography:...
Allen’s books include Hats and HatNots, Black Bodies and 2011 publication on boxing life in New York City's Gleason's Gym, Double Up: Photographs by Jules Allen, as well as current work on Marching Bands, Rhythmology and Veils & Masks. Widely exhibited in the U.S. and abroad, as shown in the Permanent Museum Collections & Exhibition listing below, he is the recipient of numerous grants and awards. His photographs are housed in museum collections worldwide. His extensive commercial and corporate work has been seen on covers of many national publications such as Business Week, Forbes and Black Enterprise magazines as well as within the Annual Reports of numerous corporate boards and distinguished clients within the music industry.
Permanent collections
- New Britain Museum of American ArtNew Britain Museum of American ArtThe New Britain Museum of American Art is an art museum in New Britain, Connecticut. Founded in 1903, it is the first museum in the country dedicated to American art....
, New Britain, CT - Agnes B, Paris, France
- Brooklyn MuseumBrooklyn MuseumThe Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
, New York, NY - National Museum of American Art
- Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, Washington, D.C. - The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
- Schomburg Center, New York, NY
- Studio Museum in HarlemStudio Museum in HarlemThe Studio Museum in Harlem is an American contemporary art museum in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, New York. It was founded in 1968 as the first such museum in the U.S. devoted to the art of African-Americans, specializing in 19th and 20th century work as well work of artists of...
, New York, NY - Queensborough Community College/CUNY, New York, NY
- Dreyfus Fund, New York, NY
- Overholland Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Exhibitions
- Propositions on the Permanent Collection, Group Exhibition, Studio Museum of Harlem, New York, NY, 2009
- Marching Bands Exhibit, Solo Exhibition, The Jazz Gallery, New York, NY, 2006
- Photographs: Jules Allen, Solo Exhibition, Institute of African Affairs, NY University, New York, NY, 2006
- Imagenes Havana, Group Exhibition of Latin, Caribbean and U.S. photographers, Santiago/ Havana, Cuba, co-sponsored by Fototeca, Royal Nederland’s Embassy and The Washington Post, 2004
- African American Masters, American Museum of Natural History, Traveling Exhibition, 2004
- Americanos, Group Exhibition, Smithsonian Institution, shown in 26 cities; Washington DC, New York, Chicago, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, Omaha, St. Petersburg, Tucson, Milwaukee, Boston, Charlotte, 2002
- Life of the City, Group Exhibition, Permanent Collection, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 2002
- Committed to the Image, Group Exhibition, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, NY, 2001
- Harlem, Group Exhibition, Leica Gallery, New York, NY, 2000
- Black New Yorkers/ Black New York, Group Exhibition, Schomburg Center, New York, NY, 1999
- Americanos: Latino Life in the United States, Group Exhibition, and Museum of the City of New York, NY, 1999
- Living for the City, Group Traveling Exhibition, Parsons School of Design, New York, NY, 1997
- Icon to Narrative: Harlem, Group Exhibition, IRADAC Center, New York, NY, 1998
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Project, Group Exhibition & Auction, Kent Gallery, New York, NY, 1997
- Million Man March, Group Exhibition, Del Pryor Galleries, Detroit, MI, 1997
- Hats and Hat Nots, Solo Exhibition, Drew University, New Jersey, 1995
- Gesture and Pose, Group Exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 1994
- Our Town, Group Exhibition, Burden Gallery, New York, NY, 1993
- In the Ring, Solo Exhibition, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Staten Island, NY, 1993
- Hats and Hat Nots, Solo Exhibition, QCC Art Gallery, CUNY, Bayside, Queens, NY, 1993
- Public Photographs, Solo Exhibition, 60 Bus Shelters Throughout Harlem], NY, Public Art Fund, New York, NY, 1992
- Songs of My People, Group Exhibition, Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C., Museum of the City of New York, NY, 1992
- Fighting Spirit, Solo Exhibition, Delta Axis Arts Center, Memphis, TN, 1992
- Home, Group Exhibition, De Meervaart Cultural Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1991
- Two Photographers, Group Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland, 1991
- On the Edge, Group Exhibition, Henry Street Settlement House, New York, NY, 1991
- Mean Streets, Group Exhibition Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 1991
- Contemporary Urban Images, Group Exhibition Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY, 1990
- The Knife, Group Exhibition, Agnes B. Gallery, Paris France, 1990
- Black USA, Group Exhibition, Overhollander Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1990
- Photography and the Culture Climate, Solo Exhibition, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1989
- A Little More Towards the Light, Solo Exhibition, Shadow Image Gallery, New York, NY, 1989
Awards & Presentations
- Portfolio, "Killens Review of Arts & Letters, Fall/Winter 2010"
- Lecture, Hatch Billups Artist & Influence, New York, NY, 2009
- Research & Photography Grant Funding, CETL Grants & Awards City University of New York, NY, 2004–2009
- Research & Photography Grant Funding, CETL Grants & Awards City University of New York, NY, 2003
- Imagenes Havana, Documentary Photography Panel, Seminar for Latin, Caribbean and US photographers; co-sponsored by The Washington Post and Fototeca, 2003
- Research & Photography Grant Funding, City University of New York, NY, New York Foundation for the Arts, NY, 1994–99; 2001
- Award, New York Council of the Arts, & Public Art Fund Presentation; “60 Bus Stop Shelters,” City College of New York, NY, 1992
- Photography Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts, 1991
- Panelist, Society for Photographic Education, Santa Fe, NM, 1990
- Grant, Light Work, Syracuse, NY, 1986
- Judge, Photography Panel, New York Foundation for the Arts, NY, 1986
- Fine Arts Panelist, Massachusetts Council on the Arts, Boston, MA, 1986
- Photography Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, NY, 1985
- Award, CAPS, Photography, New York, NY, 1980
External links
- Jules Allen Photography
- Queensborough Community College, Art & Photography
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, African American Masters
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery
- and HatNots
- Black Bodies
- "Double Up: Photographs by Jules Allen"