By H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams and Justin Maxon
My project, Staring Down the White Gaze, co-created with scholar Dr. Herukhuti Sharif Williams and set for publication by TBW Books in fall 2027, examines how whiteness, white supremacy, and white nationalism operate within American visual culture by turning the white gaze back on itself. Using critical race theory, visual culture studies, family archives, autoethnography, and contemporary photographic practices, the project combines scholarly analysis, collaborative image-making, community dialogue, and historical research. Together, these elements form an interdisciplinary framework for understanding how racialized ways of seeing are constructed and challenged.
At the heart of the project is a visual glossary of white racial tropes, constructed using Maxon’s family archive and references from popular culture. This tool serves as an entry point for analyzing how whiteness is manufactured and reproduced over time. Featuring the work of artists from Chester, Pennsylvania—Desire Grover (artist), Wydeen Ringgold (citizen journalist), Leon Paterson (photographer), and Jonathan King (activist)—the book juxtaposes their work with mainstream media representations of the city, including Maxon’s photographic coverage from 2008 to 2016 and other contemporary and historical local media, to challenge the construction and embodiment of whiteness while encouraging reflection and conversation about its impact on society.
Throughout the book, Dr. Williams raises critical questions that prompt readers to consider their own complicity in systems of representation. This dialogue is central to the book’s form and function, allowing readers to witness not only the critique of the white gaze but also the collaborative process of challenging and reimagining it.
Awards:
Exhibitions:
Singapore International Photography Festival (Main Exhibition) - Photobook Showcase
Athens Photography Festival (Main Exhibition)
Shortlisted:
Singapore International Photography Festival, Book Dummy Award
Chester: Staring Down the White Gaze
SAMPLE SPREADS
Book DUMMY
CHAPTERS
White Racial Tropes Prequel
justin’s chester
Watching You Watching Us
The Bacon’s Part 2
new Chester postcards
sissy boy sweet
The Bacon’s Part 1
Old Chester
Old Chester Postcards
