ART & DESIGN
Sophie Kluckhuhn, one of the amazing women roller-skating around Baltimore takes flight in this photograph by E. Brady Robinson
Photographer E. Brady Robinson captures amazing women roller skating across Baltimore in vivid photographs that speak to communality, friendship, and the power of women.
BY KAZAD
BALTIMORE, MD-Currently at the Hotel Indigo in Baltimore is SK8R GRLS, a photography exhibition by the Baltimore-based photographer E. Brady Robinson. The show celebrates the freedom and joy of roller skating.
SK8R GRLS is the result of a photography project that started in the Spring of 2021. At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, mental health issues became the focus of discussions across the country. Many people were anxious, isolated, and devastated as a result of the unending lockdowns and the barrage of news of countless deaths. To address the mental health issues and consequences of the lockdowns, many people became innovative. While some indulged in self-care, others looked for ways to maintain their sanity. Robinson found solace in roller skating.
An athlete with a love for fitness, Robinson saw roller skating as an opportunity to stay active and reconnect with friends outdoors. Additionally, she saw it as a chance to practice her love for fashion photography.
Robinson wore her pair of Candi Grl Skates with white laces and pink wheels whenever she joined other skaters. During the roller skating activities, she spent time taking photographs of friends who share the joy of roller skating. The group eventually grew to include a wider network of Baltimore-based female-identifying skaters.
Nine archival metal prints from the roller-skating project are currently on display in SK8R GRLS. Robinson’s photography exhibition is a collaboration between Maryland Art Place and Hotel Indigo Baltimore. The prints on display show female roller skaters having fun displaying amazing roller skating tricks. The images radiate a sense of freedom and release after over a year of closure and isolation caused by the pandemic.
Who Are the Amazing Women Roller Skating Around Baltimore?
The women in Robinson’s photographs are from all walks of life. They are artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and women in Baltimore creative scene. The list includes Amy Cavanaugh, Caitlin Gill, Jade Davis, Tina Thompson, Brittany Wight, Les Gray, Hayley Furman, Alexis Ojeda-Brown, Jessica Lauryn, Sophie Kluckhuhn, and Wildège François. Others are Barbara Bailey, Elena Volkova, Sara Autrey, Alaska Kellum, Vickie Walker, Lean Bean, Dina Fiasconaro.
Confident Women Having Fun Roller Skating
The photographs tell the story of confident women having fun and doing what they love. A powerful sensibility exudes from many of the images as the women take control of their bodies.
One of the dominant skaters in the group is Sophie Kluckhuhn. In one photograph, Sophie leaps into the air, fearlessly frozen in time. Dressed in a pink blouse and black shorts, she stretches out her hand to maintain balance in this mesmerizing daredevil exploit. Her red roller skating shoes contrast sharply against the blue and white sky, illuminating her unflinching desire to touch the skies. The greenery and the huge fence with “Space Jam” graffiti tell viewers that this is Baltimore and that this woman is fearless.
In another image, Sophie leaps into the air, showing off her skating skills. Wearing an all-black outfit and protective gear, she raises her hands and legs in her attempt for a dramatic finish. What could go wrong? Nothing. Clearly, Sophie is adept at her skills. Around her are other skaters doing their own thing, but none as dramatic as Sophie’s. Her pink roller skating shoes and thespian uplift set her apart from all others.
However, Robinson’s roller skating photography adventure was not just about capturing dramatic flights and daring maneuvers alone. It is also about communality, friendship, and style. In one photograph, a participant, Alexis Ojeda-Brown squats, showing off her pink roller skates. On her face is a big smile, proving she has been having a lot of fun skating. Similarly, in another image, a female skater, Brittany Wight, rests on one leg while stretching out the other. She appears to be telling the world, “See what I can do,” with a big smile on her face.
Stylish Les Graya with her Roller Skates
Roller skating fashion sensibilities come to the fore in several photographs, including the image of Les Graya. Les stylishly carries her leopard skin-colored roller skating shoes over her shoulder. The pair of skate shoes perfectly match her leopard skin-colored blouse, accentuated by a pair of faded jeans. This appears an invitation to others to join in the fun.
The majority of the photographs of women roller skating in this photography exhibition were taken around Baltimore and many feature backdrops of Baltimore monuments and sites. In documenting the roller skating culture in Baltimore, Robinson traversed the city, visiting popular skating spots. They include the Druid Hill tennis courts, Patterson Park, the Ravens lot behind the Baltimore Museum of Industry, Lake Montebello, and a rooftop on Saratoga Street, among many others.
Going Back to the Roots
In addition to photographing roller skaters in various spots around the city, Robinson also took photographs at her Maryland Art Place studio, where she is in residency. The studio images are a total contrast to the ones taken at different locations around the City. For the studio images, the photographer utilized strobe and gel lighting to simulate the vibes of the 80s roller skating rinks reminiscent of her childhood.
One of the images from this series shows Les dancing in her Leopard skin-colored skate shoes. The lighting and composition are mimetic of the 1970s and 1980s when roller skating was prevalent among the young and old. The only thing missing from the photograph is the ubiquitous disco globe that shimmers as people get down in the skating rinks.
This image is reminiscent of Robinson’s young days. As a young girl growing up in the 80s in Virginia’s apple country, Robinson was part of the budding roller skating culture. Roller skating was not just an escape but also a transition to adulthood. During this period, roller skating was inherently fun for many young people, including Robinson.
Robinson’s parents’ cement basement was one of her early skating rinks. There, she spent a lot of time skating to some of the very popular music from that period, the majority of which were specifically composed for the developing roller skating culture. The popular tracks include “Jam On It” by Newcleus, “Let the Music Play” (Shannon), “Round and Round” (Ratt), “No Packing (On The Dance Floor)” (Midnight Star), and “Look Out Weekend” (Debbie Deb), among many others.
About Photographer E. Brady Robinson
E. Brady Robinson has a BFA in photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and an MFA in photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She specializes in portraiture, food, fashion, fitness, and documentary photography.
Based in Baltimore, E. Brady Robinson is currently the resident artist at Maryland Art Place. She is a devoted photographer who divides her time between personal art projects and commissioned work. Her photographs have appeared in newspapers, magazines and various photography website. She is the founder of Bmoreculinary.
Robinson is an educator who likes to impact knowledge. She is currently a photography instructor at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, and on the faculty at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. Furthermore, she leads photography workshops throughout the United States. Her documentary, Art Desks, with an essay by Andy Grundberg, was published by Daylight Books. It is distributed by Artbook D.A.P.
Rekindling Fading Memories of Roller Skating
Robinson’s photographs have appeared in exhibitions and art festivals across the globe, including the Lishui Photography Festival China, the Orlando Museum of Art, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, the Katzen Art Center at American University, AIPAD NYC, and Art Miami. She also has her work in various collections, such as American University, the Orlando Museum of Art, and the Spanish Cultural Center, Santo Domingo, DR. Robinson is represented by Addison/Ripley Fine Art.
SK8R GRLS is a continuation of Robinson’s devotion to bringing attention to what is happening around Baltimore. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the photographer went around the city documenting the emptiness. Her work from that project communicated the sadness and depression enveloping Baltimore due to restrictions on movement. Robinson’s project of female roller skaters is a total contrast to the sobering and deserted city. The images are joyful and cheerful. They exude hope and aspiration.As things open up, many people should consider taking up roller skating. In addition to helping reduce stress, roller skating can also help people lose all the weight gained from the endless COVID-19 lockdowns. For those who cannot go to the skating spots in Robinson’s photographs, there are many skating rinks across Baltimore that continue to carry on the roller skating tradition.
In the meantime, anyone who has the time should visit SK8R GRLS. Beyond aesthetics, the photographs are inspiring and give credence to the power of communality, friendship, and the power of women.
What do you think about the photographs of these amazing women roller skating around Baltimore? Share your thoughts. Leave a comment
