The Gordon Parks Foundation has named three recipients for its 2024 fellowship program:conceptual artist and Howard University professor Larry W. Cook; photographer and social justice artist Tonika Lewis Johnson; and writer and editor D. Watkins.
Each recipient has been awarded $25,000 to support their projects aligning with the foundation’s mission of promoting social change through arts and humanities. Cook and Johnson will present work in respective solo exhibitions at the Gordon Parks Foundation in Pleasantville, New York later this year.
“Through their art and writing, our 2024 Fellows have brought attention to systemic racism and community activism,” said Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., executive director of The Gordon Parks Foundation. “We are proud to support Larry, Tonika, and D. as they continue to enact change through their art in much the same way Gordon Parks did throughout his lifetime.”
Cook’s interdisciplinary approach in photography, video, and mixed media explores themes of landscape, liberty, and belonging. Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, “I plan to use this fellowship for a project that will provoke thought, change perceptions, and stimulate conversations about the criminal justice system and the need for support and opportunity for returning citizens.”
Johnson, a lifelong resident of Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, focuses on urban segregation and preserving Black cultural memory in Chicago. Her projects like Folded Map and unBlocked Englewood aim to address real estate and land use inequities. Remarking on her future projects, Johnson said, “With this fellowship, I can continue on a journey that echoes Parks’s legacy—shedding light on systemic issues while also demonstrating the transformative power of art in fostering healing and change.”
D. Watkins, an author and editor-at-large for Salon, explores the emotional turmoil of urban youth and challenges the perception of violence as currency. Watkins has authored several books, including The Beast Side and The Cook Up.
The foundation has awarded 14 fellowships in art since 2017. Previous fellows include leading contemporary artists Jammie Holmes, José Parlá, Bisa Butler, and Andre D. Wagner.
This year’s artists will be honored at the Gordon Parks Foundation Awards Dinner on May 21st. The dinner will honor Alicia Keys and Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz) as well as Mickalene Thomas, football player Colin Kaepernick, and civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams.
