Nina Wells: King Me

Started in 2014, King Me, Nina Wells’ ongoing photographic series of Black men and boys wearing crowns and regal attire, highlights the faces, outfits, and settings to encourage viewer interpretation of the subject’s backstory.

In the game of checkers, a piece must successfully cross the entire board in order to receive its crown and become a king. Wells showcases images of men and boys who labor and persevere through the checkerboard of life on their quests for success, fulfillment, safety, and recognition.