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Suffering in Silence- Pastor

So often what it means to be a Black man hinges on the lack of emotional expression. Sometimes though the pain is too much to bear, the burden is too heavy to carry.

“Tears are words the heart can’t express.”

Gerard Way

African cultures have historically tied masculinity with stoicism and independence: the ability to endure suffering in silence. Equally rooted in culture, however, is religion, which has invited communities to pray, celebrate, grieve, and feel in communion. Capturing a poignant moment, this photograph embodies the duality of strength and emotionality in unity: a pastor sheds tears as he leads his people in moving prayer. As the community bleeds with its individual members, religion has provided refuge in fellow believers, and a way to channel out shared suffering.

Amir Leung-Tat, Suffering in Silence- Pastor, 2020. Digital Photograph. ©Amir Leung-Tat. All rights reserved.

Amir Leung-Tat

@_prince_photo._

Amir Leung-Tat is a Boston based photography major at UMass Dartmouth. His talent and passion for the art is emphasized mostly in portraiture, capturing the spirit and essence of people. Using his Canon camera as a canvas, he explores the many perspectives and attributes of humanity as they engage in the lived experience.

Amir believes that a moment in time captured in an instant could potentially turn an ordinary event into an extraordinary outcome. Amir draws his inspiration from his mom, also a photographer, and artist such as Chi Modu, Josh Farias and renowned photographer Dorothea Lange. His work, like theirs offers a bold expression, wide palate, and glimpses of the human connection. His photos combine a retro style with contemporary sharpness and sometimes can illustrate a psychedelic edge. Mostly, his work aims to capture the undulating course of the human emotion expressed through the eyes and body language of each individual. He is also an avid car enthusiast and in his spare time enjoys photographing dynamic and high-powered vehicles as well.

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Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a exhibition of the photography of Amir Leung-Tat. An interpretation of the Nguni term which means "I am because we are" and associated African philosophy which promotes the interconnectedness of humanity, Leung-Tat's work represents a poignant exploration of the vast totality of the black experience through the eyes of an artist coming of age. Shot during his time in Keyna, as well as during the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Boston, MA, his work captures the enduring connections and similarities that override geographical differences. Despite the forced separation of Black bodies from their homeland, there is a vibrant energy and resolve to overcome obstacles and a singularity of spirit that remains connected across time and space.

Other work from Ubuntu