Overview
As an artist and essayist, Bill Gaskins intrepidly explores the possibilities of portraiture in photography and cinema from an interdisciplinary foundation that includes journalism, the history of photography and art, and American and African American Studies. An important entry point for Gaskins's work is his interest in representations of African American life in visual and popular culture.
He is the author of his breakthrough monograph, Good & Bad Hair. Aperture Magazine marked the 20th anniversary of this book in its "Elements of Style" issue. The import of his work and his relevance as a contemporary artist has garnered attention through books, catalogs, and solo and group exhibitions at major venues including the Crocker Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, and The Smithsonian Institution. He is also a faculty member in the American Studies Program at Cornell. Gaskins earned his B.F.A. from the Tyler School of Art, an M.A. from The Ohio State University, and his M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art.
