Coreen Simpson: A Monograph

The dazzling life and vision of a true original—photographer, writer, jeweler, cultural icon. Step into the radiant world of Coreen Simpson, a creative force who captured the pulse of New York, redefined Black glamour, and turned artistry into activism. Coreen Simpson: A Monograph is the first comprehensive survey of her extraordinary five-decade career — and a luminous tribute to her unstoppable spirit.

From her gritty, soulful portraits of B-Boys in the early days of hip-hop to her elegant, timeless Black Cameo jewelry worn by legends like Iman and Rosa Parks, Simpson’s work bridges worlds — fashion and reportage, art and identity, photography and adornment. Through the lens of her camera and the shimmer of her craft, Simpson showed us what it means to see differently, to celebrate beauty, and to own the narrative.

This long-awaited volume brings together iconic photographs, collages, and unseen works, alongside essays and reflections from a powerhouse lineup of thinkers and artists, including Sarah Lewis, Deborah Willis, Doreen St. Félix, Awol Erizku, Rujeko Hockley, and Salamishah Tillet.

Style. Story. Soul. The vision of a woman who turned life into art.

About the Artist:
Born in Brooklyn in 1942, Coreen Simpson broke barriers in journalism, fashion, and fine art. Her work has appeared in Essence, The Village Voice, and The New York Times, and her photographs live in the collections of MoMA, the Bronx Museum, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The second title in Aperture’s Vision & Justice Book Series, Coreen Simpson: A Monograph celebrates a woman whose artistry continues to shape how we see beauty, identity, and Black brilliance.

Details 

• Hardback
• 236 with 179 illustrations 
• Dimension: 8.5in x 10.75in x 1in