Accession Number
2013/2.97

Title
A Boy Eating a Foxy Pop

Artist(s)
Dawoud Bey

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1988; printed 1997

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
14 in x 11 in (35.56 cm x 27.94 cm)

Credit Line
Gift from the Collection of David S. Rosen MD, MPH

Subject matter
In this photograph, a young African American boy returns the camera's gaze. The boy stands against a slatted metal wall, eating a Foxy pop. Bey's work challenges traditional power relationships between sitter, photographer, and viewer. This image was created with Type 55 film, which allowed Bey to create a positive image to give to the subject as it was created, but still retain a negative. This work is part of a series in which Bey sought to photograph the African American community in Brooklyn where he lived, combining sensibilities of studio portraiture and street photography. 

Physical Description
A photograph of a young African American boy standing against a metal slatted wall, on which graffiti is visible. He wears a dark button down shirt and holds a Foxy pop in his hand, eating it as the photograph was taken.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
boys
eating
graffiti
metal
portraits
shirts (main garments)