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Drowning in Tears

The downpour of tears shed cannot wash away the names of the many lives stolen from our collective memory. Continuously we have to reclaim space and allow their names to be the beacon that ignites the path for the ongoing movement.

#saytheirnames

In this image, a symbol of anonymity is poignantly repurposed to draw attention to very human individuals. Against the dark backdrop of a black umbrella, stark white lettering makes it impossible to ignore the faces of the countless individuals who have lost their lives to structural violence: Tamir Rice, Oscar Grant, Usaamah Rahim, Korryn Gaines and Rekia Boyd. Their stories become vivid and individual, rising above the mass violence much of society has learned to overlook. In this fight for the rights of a community, their names will not be lost in the crowd.

Amir Leung-Tat, Drowning in Tears, 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