Don't Just Talk About It, Be About It // Full Documentary Screening

Mark your calendars for the full documentary screening of "Don't Just Talk About It, Be About It" a film about the life of James "Omar" Childress, produced by Mike James.

Doors open - 5:45pm

Film screening begins at 6:30pm with reception in the gallery to follow.

Don’t Just Talk About It, Be About It is a multimedia retrospective based on the life of James “Omar” Childress in collaboration with Cincinnati-based artist Mike James. A Cincinnati native, Omar is deeply tied to decades of local history and the African American experience. Omar’s father, James Palmer Childress, became the first Black detective in the Cincinnati Police Department in the 1950s, cultivating his son’s strong foundation and deep tie to the city. Omar became a successful entrepreneur at a young age, operating many small businesses including the Washington Limousine Service, Diplomat Night Club, and several remodeling and deck construction companies. He spent lavishly on many things including real estate—most notably the massive K-D Lamp building known today as Rhinegeist Brewery.

However, Omar’s life was not without controversy. A prolific drug distributor in his younger days, Childress had connections across the South and in California. He was eventually arrested and served several Pr*son terms for his involvement. Despite this blot on his record, Childress cultivated an expansive network of professional connections, including James Brown, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Nelson Mandela. Throughout his life, he had a fascination with photography, documenting all of his exploits, friends, companions, and even his Pr*son sentences. He accumulated thousands upon thousands of photographs and video clips, and has dozens of large-format collages chronicling his life.

Artists James "Omar" Childress (above) and Mike James (below).

This exhibition is part of the 2024 FotoFocus Biennale: backstories. Thank you FotoFocus for the opportunity to host this exhibition!

An ambitious collaboration between FotoFocus and the region’s museums, galleries, universities, and non-traditional spaces, the FotoFocus Biennial is a month-long celebration of photography and lens-based art that unites artists, curators, and educators from around the world. Now in its seventh iteration, the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial encompasses 107 projects at 86 Participating Venues across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky — the largest of its kind in America. The Biennial Opening Weekend Program will take place September 26–28, 2024 with continued programming throughout the month of October.

For more information about this year's Biennale, visit: FotoFocus Cincinnati

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About PAR-Projects:

Professional Artistic Research (PAR-) Projects’ mission is to empower diverse communities of people who believe in the arts. As educators, we provide workshops & classes related to career development & skills training. As artists, we enjoy hosting thought provoking exhibits & collaborations throughout the Greater Cincinnati Metro Area, but will travel to help advance the creative process of like-minded organizations.

PAR-Projects is currently in the midst of a major community development project in Northside, Cincinnati, that is transforming 3/4 of an acre of blighted land into a contemporary arts & education center. Within their campus they currently host a fine art gallery and a number of creativity-focused artist studios. In the coming months they will open their outdoor performance stage and outdoor movie theater. In the coming year or two, they will be opening a second gallery space and creating an outdoor venue, truly designed to give their communities a place to gather.

Host or Publisher PAR-Projects