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Movie stars, jazz icons, water and light: photographer Adger Cowans reflects on his life’s work

Adger Cowans sits during an interview in his Bridgeport studio in February 2022. The photographer and visual artist reflected on his expansive career — spanning from Hollywood movie sets to photographing musicians of the jazz era. Cowans also worked with and was close friends with Gordon Parks, a celebrated photographer and movie director who was the first Black staff photographer at LIFE magazine.
Ryan Caron King
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ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Adger Cowans sits in his Bridgeport studio during an interview in February 2022. The photographer and visual artist reflected on his expansive career — spanning Hollywood movie sets to photographing musicians of the jazz era. Cowans also worked with and was close friends with Gordon Parks, a celebrated photographer and movie director who was the first Black staff photographer at LIFE magazine.

Adger Cowans is an 85-year-old photographer and visual artist in Bridgeport, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. He worked with Gordon Parks and photographed jazz greats, movie stars and Hollywood sets — and bore witness to several eras of American history through the lens of his camera. In this video, he reflects on his life’s work, the racism he faced working in a predominantly white industry and what motivates him to make art.

You can see in a new exhibition at the Fairfield University Art Museum until June 18.

Video by Ryan Caron King

Fairfield University is a partner of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

Ryan Caron King joined ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø in 2015 as a reporter and video journalist. He was also one of eight reporters on the New England News Collaborative’s launch team, covering regional issues such as immigration, the environment, transportation, and the opioid epidemic.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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ºÚÁϳԹÏ꿉۪s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.