MARTINE BARRAT

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Harlem During the Block Party

Harlem, New York, 1984: “These are the breakers.”

Best photo of the year in LIFE magazine’s 1984 publication, and can also be found on the “Best photography of Life Magazine” book.

There was a long line of people who came to see my show…

320 photos & several videos

The picture of Love welcomed people at the entrance of the museum.  

She was so proud when I showed it to her, I wish she had been there with me.

I was blessed because David Murray came to the opening and played his music as a surprise,

his text was on the wall once you arrived to the show.

I will be forever thankful to the curator, Jean Luc Monterosso, of this exhibit who gave me complete freedom to hire Alexandre Athane and Aisha Barat and be as creative as I wanted to be.

A book on boxers and young fighters published by Viking Penguin and originally published in Germany by Rowohlt Verlag as Die Boxer. My dream is to get this book published again with signed photographs of Muhammad Ali. When the book came out, I was extremely happy reading the article by Margo Jefferson in the New York Times. With the article of Margo Jefferson, I went to multiple bookshops and that’s how I found out Viking Penguin never put me in their catalog. I was very sad about it because my book was never seen, the foreword was written by Martin Scorsese and Gordon Parks.

I was so proud happy, and thankful to Yohji.

My first book “My Friends” about boxing was published in Japan by…

Hand signature of

YOHJI YAMAMOTO

20 photographs signed by

I was dreaming to show my boxing photography to Muhammad Ali. One day I call him and ask him if I could show him, he told me send them to him, as soon he got them he call me and told me, I going to receive a package from him. I received an express package and he sign each one of them, I was so moved and so happy, this was best present I ever received, I thank him forever with my admiration.

1980 - Trainer Jaime Morales and Otis Brown, a.k.a."Kid Chocolate."

Morales gave him that nickname because the boy had a left hook that reminded him of the original Kid Chocolate. Jaime Morales came to New York from Puerto Rico in 1953.

"I always teach the best I can. Kid Chocolate was one of the best. I call Otis Brown 'Kid Chocolate.' When you give a name like that, the kid feels better. He feels like he is somebody.

"I know I was born to take care of children. I love children. I save my money so I can buy them gloves, and food for them after the fight. "

“YOU DO THE CRIME, YOU DO THE TIME.”

Featuring Carlos "Charlie" Suarez, President of the Ghetto Brothers, and Vickie, President of the Roman Queens. A series of tapes, two hours of which have been shown internationally, was initially presented at Columbia University by philosopher Félix Guattari. Then, in 1978, it was presented at the Whitney Museum with a huge exhibition called You Do The Crime, You Do The Time in New York, then on television in Italy, several times on Sunday nights on the program TG2, and also at one of the biggest exhibitions “Fuck You” Film Festival in the ruins of Rome. I am very thankful to Bernardo Bertolucci, who took me to Italy to showcase my work. My exhibition is dedicated to Helene Stewart LA MAMA.

Vickie (1976) - Excerpt

Invitation of the Whitney Museum, New York.

All of my first photographs of the South Bronx were on the wall, the video was being played on the screen, and color photography was on the floor. One gang member advised the curator of the show to put them on the floor because there was no more space on the wall, the curator was extremely thankful to the gang member for his idea.

Martine Barrat et ses amis du Ghetto sont en train d’écrire, á la vidéo, la vraie histoire du peuple noir américain

Charlie is the president of an important gang,

the Ghetto Brothers.

He organized a huge meetings for all the gangs, together.

Yeah Ma!

Can you just see me walking naked with just a Japanese robe draped from my shoulders, I walk to a steam and kneel, I drink, the sun is hot the grass is cool – I sit cross my legs and get high, high on your love, on freedom and high, away just trip I lay down and make love to myself, to you, the sun, grass water and enjoy Freedom!

Charlie

South Bronx next Prospect Avenue Carlos Suarez “Charlie Karate Brother”  after being beaten up by the police for no reason. His grandmother took the pictures just after. His little brother was there when it happen. His pose for the picture show us that he was there when the cops did what you see on the picture.

Photography of

MY ONLY FRIEND THAT CAME WITH ME TO THE BRONX, TO MEET MY FRIEND FROM THE GANG.

TRUE WARRIORS

pre selected for the Atlantic Bridge Film Festival.

A special screening of my film was shown in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.

Edited by Leandro Ricciardelli.

Tina Turner

1939 — 2023

In Loving Memory

She was so happy that Yohji Yamamoto sent me to take pictures of her with his clothes in London. We had such a beautiful time together.

At the beach in New York, she is flying on the flag.

I can hear her singing, with her beautiful smile.

Two exhibitions organized in the Cultural Center of La

Goutte d’Or and several photos hung in their park by…

Martine Barrat

“The moment we cease to hold each other,

the moment we break faith with one another.

The sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”

James Baldwin

I can’t remember the name of the photographer who took this picture.

Drawing of Alexandre Athané, my dear friend. He was so precious when he was my assistant for many years. I’m still so thankful for the work he did for me.

One of the letters Camilia Gautret wrote to me and made me so happy. I want to share it with people looking at my website to share that happiness. She is 8 years old, she lives in Paris, and she writes to me very often. She is an avid writer. 

“I wish I had another lifetime to write about your photography.” - Gilles Deleuze

Deleuze had written this to me in the last letter I received from him the day before he committed suicide. I’m so sad I keep looking for the letter, but I cannot find it among the mess of my papers.

I wish you can listen to Ornette Coleman, he was very important to me.

He want for us to do a show together, he said…

“You don’t need to ask me, you tell me what you need.”

“The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.” - James Baldwin