Isolde is the International Center of Photography's curator-at-large and, as of last week the deputy director of New Museum in Manhattan. Brielmaier is a global citizen and style icon. She was born in Seattle and trained as a ballet dancer while at Columbia University. After earning her PhD at Columbia, she worked at the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the SCAD Museum of Art, but her first major museum job was as a program manager at the Guggenheim. She is also an instructor at the Tisch School of the Arts' Department of Photography and Imaging. Photography is a medium. It's a visual art form that nearly everyone can understand. Brielmaier stated that we can all recognize a photograph. Brielmaier said that she believes in the power and importance of the photograph and is working towards democratizing images and art. It is still difficult to believe that everyone can afford a smartphone. Brielmaier, like all curators, keeps an eye on what lies ahead while keeping the past in her sights. BuzzFeed News told her that the image of her grandparents was the most striking among the images she selected as ones that have influenced and influenced her throughout her career. It was not like a lot of images I saw growing up here, particularly the way in which African stories are represented here in the US. They were clearing space for their grandchildren, especially since they were curators and champions of contemporary art. Brielmaier also has an exhibit to commemorate the 10th anniversary in New Orleans of Hurricane Katrina. Another Tyler Mitchell vision of a Black utopia asks viewers to imagine what this dream might look like. These are seven images that Brielmaier has influenced throughout her career.1. Seydou Keita, Young Man With a Flower Seydou Keita, courtesy Danziger Gallery"This was one the first West African photos to circulate in America and Europe (ofcourse, Keitas clients knew about him and his work). It reminded me of portraits I used to see of my father's family in Uganda. It was both affirming and surprising to see such an image in person. One, Africans and Black people in general have always been self-determined and represent themselves in ways that are true to who they are. These images also raised awareness about the power of the image, and the importance and value of agency and voice for Black people, who are among the most photographed in the world.2. 2."This photo of my paternal grandparents' wedding day is everything I love about it. It has beauty, dignity and grace. This image is a counter to colonial images of Africa and Africans that we used to see. It shines a light on the beauty and grace of my family and me at a time when it was all about colonial representations. It is something I treasure."Carrie Mae Weems 3, "Untitled (Woman Standing) From The Kitchen Table Series 1990" Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy Jack Shainman Gallery, New York."This work had a profound impact on me as both a young person as well as as a graduate student. Weems is a Black woman photographer. She uses narrative and photography to represent herself, tell stories and challenge the way we see who and what we know. This series is intimate, quiet and yet so powerful. Weems allows us to see the inner lives of a mother, her child, and her partner. She gives us enough information to allow us all to begin to weave our own stories.4. Lalla Essaydi, Converging Territories #10 Lalla Essaydi"Lalla created the series to highlight the subversive power that women have in Morocco's culture. It's about presence and voice, and the act subversive (in this instance, calligraphy), that is traditionally reserved for men. Lalla was a friend of mine, and she was a part of some of my first exhibitions. I greatly respect her. This photograph was gifted to me by Lalla. It hangs on my living-room wall. Every day, it reminds me of the importance in being true to myself, no matter what.5. Wangechi Mutu, "Yo Mama" Wangechi Mutu"Wangechi is a close friend, an incredible human being, and a wonderful artist. She used found images from magazines, vintage photos, newspapers, and other sources early on. To re-create women in fantastical and new worlds where they often reigned. I will always remember this work. It was her first work to be widely shared and was widely circulated. She challenged us all to reexamine and revise our perceptions and views. To be imaginative, expansive, extraordinary."6. Gordon Parks, "Department Store Mobile, Alabama 1956" and all his work. Gordon Parks. Courtesy of The Gordon Parks Foundation"Gordon Parks was prolific. He captured so much of the country's history and culture. His photographs tell the story of Black Americans and our nation in such beautiful ways. I was unable to choose from the many images he has taken over the years.7. Tyler Mitchell, "Untitled" (Film Still From Idyllic Spa), 2019, Tyler Mitchell. Courtesy Jack Shainman Gallery, New York."I was honored to curate Tyler's first US exhibit at the International Center of Photography in NYC in January 2020. One of the reasons that I was so drawn to Tyler and his work, is his dedication to joy. His work is a proclamation. It shows us photographs of our daily lives, where we enjoy the little pleasures that bring joy: ice cream, hula hooping swinging on swings and picnicking. Tyler is an exceptional being with such a valuable and needed vision. His contemporaries and Tyler are our future imagemakers."
