Clark: My Life

Clark: My Life, opens with Jack Clark declaring his intention to end his own life or die of natural causes by his 75th birthday. At 74, he passed away in his Baltimore apartment, leaving behind his collected art pieces and journals. Jack a gay, black man, worked as a psychiatrist and was survived by no traceable family, but several life friends. Gillen happened to be visiting Baltimore, when her friend, Michael Northrup came into possession of Jack's journals. "Gillen designs an intimate portrait, mimicking Clark's hodge-podge aesthetic. The visual narrative unfolds with images of his journals, jewels, textiles, paintings, and statues. Her book bears witness to one man's passions and ruminations, celebrating his individual human experience. Clark haunts the reader with these words: To whom do I leave myself to? To whom do I have a value? Am I so marginalized that only I see a 'me'?" Photographs by Jack A. Clark, Michael Northrup, + Paula Gillen. With an introduction by Kris Northrup.