Black Paris Profiles™: Kim Powell – Part 2

Last week, Kim Powell talked about her photography and a life-changing visit to Sri Lanka. This week, she continues to discuss her work as a photographer and also talks about Paris and the various activities that she pursues here. Part 2 of a two-part interview follows.


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Kim Powell
Photo courtesy of Kim Powell
Let’s turn our attention to the city of Paris. What is your favorite area of Paris to walk in?

When I need inspiration, I walk from the Nikki de Saint Phalle fountain (near the Centre Pompidou), past Le Forum des Halles, to Etienne Marcel (Place de la Victoire), and end at the Jardin du Palais Royal.

Tell us about the projects that the city has inspired. In particular, tell us what aspects of the city you featured and why.

Flowers:

They were my favorite subject as a child when I received my first camera at the age of seven. I never focused on the entire flower but always got close to see what was going on inside, attracted to the color and graphic details. Though I now occasionally view a flower as a whole, for the most part my style has not changed . . . always macro. It is a peaceful experience and one that brings me back to the comfort of home.

My favorite gardens are: Jardin des Plantes, Tuileries, Bagatelle, Palais Royal, and Albert Khan. Photos from this project (Secret Garden) have been included in both solo and group exhibitions.

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Black Paris Profiles™ is now available on Kindle.  Only excerpts are available on this blog.

To get your copy of Black Paris Profiles™, click HERE.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.

Black Paris Profiles™: Kim Powell – Part 1

A while back, I published a Facebook posting about a photo shoot that I had with Kim Powell. We wended our way from the Luxembourg Garden to the Odéon area via Saint-Sulpice Church, and had a great time along the way. In the posting, I indicated that Kim is working on a book project that I am thrilled to be a part of, and that more details about the project were soon to come. Just keep reading, and you’ll find them below! You’ll also find out a lot more about this beautiful, talented woman who calls both Paris and Connecticut home. Part 1 of a two-part interview follows.


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Kim Powell
Photo courtesy of Kim Powell
You are currently working on a photography book about African Americans in Paris. How did this come about?

Over the years, I have been asked to collaborate on number of projects related to African-American life in Paris: as a photographer, lecturer, and/or tour guide. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with both American and French university and high school students about my life journey and Paris. Recently I was asked by a group of French students what it felt like to be a living part of the African-American legacy. In all honesty, I hadn’t looked at my life from that perspective.

In a recent NY Times article “A Paris Farewell,” Amy M. Thomas wrote that “to some extent Paris will always belong to the Truffauts, Fitzgeralds, and Bernhardts of the world. But now some of my own history runs through its streets too.” This struck a chord with me. My history runs through these streets as well. I kept thinking: what about Henry Tanner, Josephine, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, or any of the others! I realized there were even more stories to be told. I’m not a writer or a scholar but I still wanted to share these stories in my way, which is through photography.

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Black Paris Profiles™ is now available on Kindle.  Only excerpts are available on this blog.

To get your copy of Black Paris Profiles™, click HERE.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.