The Creative Class: Myles Loftin

Source: iOne / Getty

Name: Myles Loftin

Occupation: Photographer

Location: New York

How We Know Him: Myles dropped a bomb in 2016 with an amazing multimedia project that created much needed conversation—and major garnered accolades—for speaking new life into Black masculinity.

Why We Chose Him: He’s redefining Black maleness via art.

What’s Next: The hustle-minded artist is focused on racking up commissions worldwide.

IG: @mylesloftin

Photography is important. Catching moments that would go forgotten and making them last forever is a talent. Capturing those moments in the lives of people from marginalized communities? Even more so. Enter Myles Loftin, the 21-year-old photographer who rose to prominence with ‘HOODED,’ a collection of image celebrating Black masculinity. Launching back in 2016, the project’s goal was to flip societies perception of Black men.

“I created a multimedia project that humanizes and decriminalizes the societal image of black boys and black men dressed in hoodies” Loftin has said. The media often places a negative light on Black men in hoodies—Google “Black boy hoodie” and you’ll get images of criminals but the searching for “white boy hoodie” produces cookie-cutter stock photos of white teenagers smiling. “I photographed four black teens/men and portrayed them in a positive light that is in direct contrast of the media representation that has oppressed us. The final product is a series of photographs, screenshots and a film that attempts to shift perception,” Loftin says of HOODED.

With this launchpad, he went on not only speak at prestigious universities like Yale, but was even recognized by Getty Images and was honored with a $7,000 grant “to create work that celebrates the lives and narratives of LGBTQIA+ communities.”