Chance the Rapper was among celebrities who purchased artwork during the Gordon Parks Foundation’s 20th anniversary gala this week.
On Tuesday night (May 19) at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York, attendees at the foundation’s 20th anniversary dinner and auction included Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, Joey Badass, John Legend, Colin Kaepernick, and Sinners star Delroy Lindo, some of whom also purchased artwork in honor of Parks. The legendary photographer and multidisciplinary artist was a leading photojournalist throughout the 1940s and 1970s and passed away in 2006 at 93 years old.
Parks also photographed the 1956 work that gala awardee and performer Chance the Rapper purchased for $150,000 on Tuesday night, titled “At Segregated Drinking Fountain, Mobile, Alabama.” Chance bought the iconic piece for his daughters, Kensli, 10, and Marli, 6, to view.
Along with performing a rendition of “I Was A Rock” with The Anthony Morgan Inspirational Choir of Harlem in dedication to late boxer and activist Muhammad Ali, the Grammy winner was also presented with an award by conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas.
“It’s an incredible honor to be in this room surrounded by so many artists, activists, and truth tellers,” Chance said in his speech. “The job that we have at this time in history is so threatened. The world is on fire and the greatest defense we have in the world of art is as documentarians. Are we going to be bystanders or are we going to create the future that we want? Let’s keep f*cking sh*t up.”
Learn more about the foundation’s year-long 20th anniversary programming at its official website.
