Bayeté Ross Smith & Will Sylvester

William Sylvester and Bayeté Ross Smith are two of the collaborators on Question Bridge, a project that aims to represent and redefine black male identity in America through a question and answer exchange that addresses the economic, political, geographic and generational divisions for black men. The artists are creating generosity by using the camera as a listening device to bring together over 1600 question-and-answer exchanges from 160 men across the United States. This project is composed of many voices that illuminate the complexity of character that is often flattened by racial and gender categories. In so doing it grants agency to the individual in authoring the complexity of being a black male in this country. It also illustrates and generates community through the use of media in building dialogue around the subject of identity. This innovative five-channel multimedia video installation was launched at five venues simultaneously: The Brooklyn Museum, The Sundance Film Festival,  Utah MOCA, Oakland Museum of California,  and the Chastain Art Center in Atlanta, GA. The exhibition installation is supported by a high-school curriculum,  inter-generational community events, and a robust website.

Click here to see the un-edited footage of Will and Bayeté

Images:

Installation view of Question Bridge

Images from Question Bridge in process