A romantic concept of “The Road” has been embraced in American popular culture since the mid-20th century. Absent from this cumulative portrait is the Black American experience of the road which is often associated with fear, violence and death rather than freedom.
Mixing recent portraits and landscapes, digital screenshots and archival material-including pictures from Willett’s own family archive- “A Parallel” Road pays homage to “The Green Book”, a traveler’s guide for Black Americans first published in 1936 and sheds light on an experience of the road that has long been overlooked.
This nuanced and multi-layered work explores themes of history, racism, violence and Black identity in the United States, reflecting on the nation’s past and present while encouraging inclusivity and dialogue surrounding a complex and integral American story.