Gordon Parks: We Shall Not Be Moved
Simon Cartwright, Aesthetica
February 2026
Gordon Parks understood the camera as a weapon, a tool for justice and revelation. Born in 1912 in Fort Scott, Kansas, he transformed the lens into an instrument capable of exposing both brutality and beauty, inequality and resilience. His photographs chronicled the daily lives, struggles and triumphs of Black Americans, insisting that their stories be seen and remembered. We Shall Not Be Moved, now at Alison Jacques in London, presents these works in a powerful dialogue with the present, reflecting Parks’ capacity to bear witness while demanding accountability. The exhibition coincides with the 20th anniversary of The Gordon Parks Foundation, celebrating a legacy that continues to shape contemporary photography. Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., Executive Director of the Foundation, states: “We are pleased to celebrate The Gordon Parks Foundation’s 20th anniversary with an exhibition at Alison Jacques in London. We are equally fortunate to view Gordon’s vast achievements through the critical lens of guest curator Bryan Stevenson.” […]