St. Paul filmmaker and photographer Bianca Rhodes debuts photography exhibit celebrating Black life in Minnesota

"Bridal Prayer," one of the photos on display at Vybez World as a part of the "#MNBlackLife" exhibit presented by Bianca Rhodes. Photo credit: Myah Goff

After 15 years behind the camera, St. Paul filmmaker and storyteller Bianca Rhodes printed her photographs for the first time for her inaugural exhibit, “#MNBlackLife,” capturing the big and small moments of Minnesota’s Black community. 

“Bianca was looking to remind folks that we are here,” said Shakirah Edwards, host of the exhibit’s opening reception at Vybez World in St. Paul on Oct. 22. “We have a strong community here – whether you’re from the East Side of St. Paul or over in North Minneapolis. We stand strong and we’re not going anywhere.” 

During the opening reception, Edwards invited audience members to share their reflections on what it means to be Black in Minnesota. Many described finding a sense of safety, community and access to creative networks in the Twin Cities. 

Rhodes’ images range from intimate to public – a bride surrounded by family prayer, a couple cradling a pregnant belly, a KMOJ car show from 2015, singer-songwriter Lyric Lashay performing at the Fitzgerald Theater, and Minnesota-based hip-hop artist and activist Nick Muhammad resting on a couch. 

“For so long, I was hustling from gig to gig, project to project, trying to take care of myself,” Rhodes said. “I forgot to pause. I forgot to see the beauty in what I had already created.” 

Twelve of Rhodes’ photographs are organized into themes such as “Love & Union,” “Power & Reclamation,” “Legacy & Culture,” and “Intimacy & Reflection.” The collection is intended to document the joy of Black life in Minnesota rather than focus solely on struggle or activism. 

Photographer Bianca Rhodes. Photo credit: Myah Goff

Rhodes began her media journey at age 14 as part of the Twin Cities PBS show “Don’t Believe the Hype,” which invited youth of color to share their perspectives on issues such as social justice, gun violence and drug abuse in their communities. Photography, however, came to her unexpectedly.

“I got duped into it,” she said, reflecting on her early work as a photographer for the Minneapolis Public Schools in the 2010s. “They needed someone to take pictures and they had all the equipment but nobody knew how to use it. What was wonderful was the instant gratification. You take the picture and it’s right there. That’s how I fell in love with it.” 

Over the past two decades, Rhodes has documented Minnesota’s cultural life and currently serves as production and venue coordinator of the St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN). 

Through her production companies, BLovely Production and LeMae Photography – named for her ancestors, Bertha Lee Fondren and Georgia Mae Johnson – Rhodes has mentored young storytellers and advocated for intergenerational collaboration. 

“That’s how the young people get inspired,” Rhodes said. “Seeing this work as a real opportunity, a new skill, a new way to tell stories.” 

Rhodes also directed the documentary “Rondo: Beyond the Pavement,” produced with 10 young and emerging filmmakers. The film explores the destruction of St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, a predominantly Black community that was torn apart between the 1950s and 1960s to make way for the construction of Interstate 94. 

“Some people joke and say Minnesota had only two Black people – Prince and Kirby Puckett,” Rhodes said. “I want people who aren’t from here to know that we exist. We’ve been here.”

“#MNBlackLife” is currently on display at Vybez World, 943 Payne Ave., St. Paul. The exhibit is free and open to the public. 

Bianca Rhodes is a Center for Broadcast Journalism board member, which is the parent organization for Power 104.7. Rhodes board position did not influence our coverage of her exhibit.