PROGRAM GUIDE 2013

comfest.com community Festival 2013 29Kojo Kamau, photographer, teacher, familiar figureabout town, adds to his estimable collection of awardswith this, the Community Festival Honored Artist of 2013.Born Robert Jones in 1939 to a working class family,the Columbus native’s early interest in photography wasfueled by a camera-toting Scoutmaster. He bought hisown first camera as a teenager and realized his callingnot long after graduating from East High School. In 1970Jones became “Kojo Kamau,”meaning “unconquerable quietone” in Yoruba.After serving in the military,his “mission” became clear: todocument and present positiveaspects of the rich cultural lifeof Columbus’ African-Americancommunity (and of Africa, wherehe has traveled more than adozen times).Kojo worked for years as themedical photographer at OSU,where he met his late wife MaryAnn Williams, a poet and wellregarded faculty member. Hehas also taught photography atColumbus State. His associationswith the colleges have providedhim with only dreamed-of accessto historically important African-American visitors. Kojo’sportraits, on display at the KingArts Complex, are reminders ofthe renowned who have gracedour city.Kamau literally stands tall in Columbus’uncommonly supportive arts community for his generousmentoring of artists. The formidable Queen Brooks andComFest’s own Candy Watkins are among the many whocredit Kojo’s pivotal role in becoming artists themselves.Kojo demurs, saying, “They were already artists.They just didn’t know it.”Kojo recalls when “there were only three [wellknown] African-American artists” in Columbus, so faras anybody knew: Aminah Robinson, Roman Johnson,ComFest Honored aRtistKojo Kamauand Elijah Pierce.” He documented them all, but heknew there were more: “We just had to come togetherand make things happen. That’s what we’re here for, ashumans: to make things happen.”Local artist Pepper remembers the many times Kojoshared doors that had been opened for him alone. “We allmake opportunities for each other,” he says.Candy Watkins has worked with Kojo at the HotTimes festival as well as atComFest. "His photos documenta large segment of Near EastSide history," she says. "He's atreasure."His photos have immortalizedimages of painter Jacob Lawrence,Ray Charles, poet GwendolynBrooks, and CongresswomanShirley Chisholm.His work has also documentedthe changing face of downtownColumbus. His book ColumbusRemembered offers photosof downtown in the early 60scontrasted with photographs fromthe early 21st century.Kojo and Mary Ann Williamsestablished Arts for CommunityExpression (ACE) to promote andshowcase local African-Americanartists, opening the Short NorthACE gallery in 1986.Photo by Allen ZakKojo has enjoyed ComFestfrom the first years at 16th Avenueand Waldeck. When the move toGoodale Park created an expanded venue, Kojo doubtedthat crowds would appreciate his work. But he foundthat “ComFest is all about all kinds of people, from allaround, having a good time. And guess what? They buymy photos!” For the past ten years Kojo’s booth has beena fixture at the festival.Stop by, see his work, meet this iconic, affable, quiet,and unconquerable Columbus artist. ComFest is delightedto name Kojo Kamau our Honored Artist of 2013.—Leslie Zak