HBO’s New Gordon Parks Documentary Will Get You Inspired

HBO’s “A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks” shares its name with Parks’ 1996 autobiography, and although much of the movie creates a visually stunning narrative of major milestones in his life, the documentary also covers the lives of photographers and directors inspired by his work. Devin Allen, Jamel Shabbaz, Latoya Ruby Frasier, Spike Lee, Ana Duvernay, Adger Cowans and more share how their work and relationships with Parks shaped their work. 

Allen and guest host Caitlyn Edwards discuss this and more including: “Afghan Girl” Sharbat Gula is relocated to Italy and we go down a rabbit hole of controversy surround McCurry’s image, Instagram censors Madonna’s nipple, and photographers capture the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

We mention the following photographers, articles, and websites in this episode:

• ‘He’s inspired so many of us’: how Gordon Parks changed photography (via The Guardian)
• HBO’s “A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks”
• ‘Afghan Girl’ From 1985 National Geographic Cover Takes Refuge in Italy (via NYT)
• The Afghan Girl: A Life Revealed (via NatGeo)
• You’ll Never See the Iconic Photo of the ‘Afghan Girl’ the Same Way Again (via The Wire)
• The disturbing true story of the Afghan Girl
• An interview with Steve McCurry (via TEDxAmsterdamWomen)
• Madonna calls out Instagram for taking down a photo of her exposed nipple (via Dazed)
• Warhol and Haring‘s appropriation art of Madonna’s NY Post cover
• Elliott Erwitt | Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, USA (1988) (via Artsy)
• A Parade Returns to a City Thankful for Normal (via NYT)