Nine men sit turned away from the camera; their faces are never shown. Many are shirtless or naked. They answer questions like: When did you become a black man? Do you cry? How were you raised to deal with your emotions?
This short film, called #Blackmendream, is the latest piece by Philadelphia-based multidisciplinary artist Shikeith Cathey. His work centers around the social, cultural and political misconceptions about black men in America, and the new film explores the emotional experience of black men, born out of those misconceptions.
The men seem both vulnerable and powerful as they thoughtfully respond to these basic, but piercing, questions. To the viewer, there's a feeling that you're eavesdropping on a therapy session.
...."I think it's just assumed that I'm angry as a black man. It's assumed that I don't possess these feelings that are part of my humanity." [says Shikeith]
To read the rest of this story by Priska Neely, go to: http://www.npr.org/2014/12/14/...ide-of-black-manhood
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