His/Story
Quincy Howard is a visual documentarian and ethnographer from Columbus Georgia, dedicated to the preservation of culture, tradition, and story-keeping within the Black South. Quincy strongly believes that we deepen our relationships with ourselves by deepening our understanding of who and where we come from. A descendant of agricultural alchemists from Southwest Georgia and the Sea Islands of South Carolina, Quincy pays homage to his roots through ritual, culture-work, and the utilization of ancestral and spiritual technologies. Drawing upon his collection of research, lived experiences, and anthropological concepts, Quincy uses his body as a vessel and his camera as a portal for many stories to travel through. Quincy’s work aims to challenge, amplify, and ultimately advance the tradition of storytelling and “story-keeping” within the collective Black South.
My work is not rooted in likes or views. Or the aesthetics of a single shot, production, or even the mere idea of content for the consumption of others. My work is rooted in connecting, in hearing, in seeing — in remembering. My work is rooted in pure intention. When I think back to photos captured by my elders and ancestors, they were imperfect in many ways. Some blurry, some with fingers captured in the view finder, some misaligned & crooked with occasional light leaks; some just poorly developed from the local drug store. But the moment and the story was captured and kept. Every photo album meticulously organized; every negative saved and preserved as heirloom — as a reminder that they were here - a reminder, that WE were here. My Momma told stories on the back of her photos; intentionally writing and documenting what was taking place, where it was taking place, when it was taking place, and who was there in that moment while it was taking place - an archivist - the first anthropologist that I ever knew. Our stories were being told and documented well before my arrival in this lifetime. I may never be recognized as the worlds greatest photographer, or a world renowned videographer - I may never return to college to retrieve an official certification to validate my work — I strive to do & be neither, as I enjoy living a life void of boxes and labels. But I do strive to be remembered through my work; to be able to pause moments and encapsulate them in ways that can spark re-memory; 50, 100, hell maybe even 1000 years from now. That there, is my intention; this is how I will continue to show up in my work and in this world; both physical and non-physical. Like the many years of familial archives passed down to each generation; Intentional, imperfect, and in the moment; I will show up as ME.
When I die, burn my vessel, return my ashes to the earth, and on my headstone - do not name the date of perish - ‘fore life is still continuing .
May this headstone, time capsule, this “heirloom of life”, preferably made of Tabby and Red Clay, read as such:
“Quincy Howard - Existed(ing) in the South - Cry only tears of joy, as I am still with the living, and I’ve been with the dead.”