In this stunning collection of black-and-white photographs, photographer Richard Doherty takes a deep visual dive into Oak Cliff, the southwest Dallas neighborhood where he has lived for the past four decades. Using a variety of film cameras, Doherty combines vivid, sweeping panoramic images on the main business drag, Jefferson Boulevard, with intimate portraits of people in their workplaces, homes, and yards. These evocative, richly detailed images reveal the unique character of the diverse people, social landscapes, and personal spaces in this often-overlooked section of Dallas.
Doherty's photographs are a testament to his love of Oak Cliff, a place where he has made his home and raised his family. They are also a powerful reminder of the beauty and complexity of everyday life in a modern city.
In addition to Doherty's photographs, the book features a concise history of Oak Cliff by bestselling author Bill Minutaglio, as well as essays by curators John Rohrbach of the Amon Carter Museum and Christopher Blay of the Houston Museum of African American Culture. These essays provide context for the photographs and anchor them in the landscape of contemporary photography. Framing Oak Cliff: A Visual Diary of a Dallas Neighborhood is a must-have for anyone who loves photography, history, or the city of Dallas. This photographic work is a beautiful and insightful portrait of a unique and vibrant place.
Industry Reviews
"In Framing Oak Cliff, rhythmic visual narratives are seen through a loving eye, revealing the profound essence of the everyday." -Kenneth Josephson, preeminent American photographer "Framing Oak Cliff captures a love of people and place. Richard Doherty has the gift and charisma to be with people in a way that allows the essence of who they are to shine proudly with integrity and life. The people he photographs captivate our gaze with the same charisma and charm that Richard brings to his perfectly calculated compositions. They are proud, vulnerable, and comfortable to stand with him and be photographed. Richard's scenes on the street are quiet observations of the everyday, yet reminiscent of times gone by. Juxtapositions of people and place portray moments of a simpler life. I am mesmerized by a ghostlike presence that captures a duality of observation and memory. These photographs portray literal and internal reflections of life. At times we are looking in, sometimes looking out, and oftentimes looking at - though no matter how we look, all invite curiosity and contemplation."-Susan kae Grant, Lens based artist, Cornaro Professor Emerita - Texas Woman's University "In this compelling set of photographs, Richard Doherty described and recorded one ordinary place, Oak Cliff, with extraordinary sensitivity and dedication over four decades. Very, very few American places have been documented so well and for so long."-Bob Thall, Chicago photographer "Richard Doherty has witnessed a neighborhood, both homes/families and commercial boulevards, with irony, curiosity and compassion. His persistent use of black and white photographic materials provides a timeless space. We don't see the bright pinks and blues of the Latine businesses on Jefferson Blvd or the lush green of the leafy neighborhoods. He shows us the curious blending of the vernacular in storefronts and street life. The long exposures necessitated by his large format cameras seem to encourage the detachment of the residents. I moved to the neighborhood a few years after Richard began this exploration; I feel that I learned to understand and love Oak Cliff through his images."-Kenda North, photographer and Professor of Art Emerita, UT Arlington "Framing Oak Cliff is a unique expression of the photographer's consistent vision over forty years while everything changes and everything stays the same."-Judith Garrett Segura, coeditor of Our Stories: Black Families in Early Dallas (UNT Press)
