Thursday Salute to Originals: Golden Moments
Gilded portraits of young children evoke themes of togetherness.
Togetherness and unity are intangible and often bound to a moment, yet their inherent value can be felt more meaningfully than a precious gem. Photographic artist Tawny Chatmon aims to capture and highlight this intangible value in a visual way in a series of gilded portraits.
This series titled “If I’m No Longer Here, I Wanted You to Know” includes at least two subjects in each photo in postures expressing tenderness, family, and wholeness. Holding hands, rested heads, and even a family formation that resembles a tree all invoke the intangible value of the core theme.
“It has been 10 years since we lost our father to prostate cancer, yet still, his lessons and love carry us through our days. I thought of my husband too, my brother-in-law, my friend’s fathers and husbands, and all of the world’s compassionate fathers and how important they are, and I especially wanted to celebrate Black fathers who are often depicted as anything other than what they truly are… phenomenal,” said Chatmon in a statement.
Chatmon adds an additional layer of design to each portrait, adorning the images with hand-detailed embellishments of 24-karat gold leaf, precious stones, and watercolor details.
This Thanksgiving Thursday, we’re saluting Tawny Chatmon’s gilded photographs and the value of unity and family—more precious than gold. You can view more portraits like these on Instagram.
Sources: Tawny Chatmon, This is Colossal