David Christopher Orrell

David Christopher Orrell (b. 1992) is a self-taught photographer who lives and works in Newark, NJ, with a discipline in portrait and documentary photography. Orrell's art is rooted in a practice that explores the beauty and vitality of the Black figure. By exploring themes of intimacy and identity, both individually and culturally, Orrell's work encompasses the complexities of Blackness. At its core, Orrell's work is a character study of himself, taking into consideration the intersectionality of collective memory and restorative imagination--balancing what was, is, and could be as he continues a legacy of Black portraiture.

Orrell grew up in his grandparents' home, surrounded by family albums in which his grandmother told him stories of his family's history. Although his whole family enjoyed taking pictures, his aunt was an amateur photographer and bought him his first digital camera in high school. Orrell's love for stories eventually led him to films and comic books. In 2010, Orrell enrolled at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he took his first film course and learned about photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks. Developing an interest in filmmaking, Orrell began filming the lives of his friends, conducting interviews that explored themes of identity and uncertainty. Continuing his passions in filmmaking, Orrell graduated with a BA and MA in Mass Media Communication in 2015 and began his career as a production studio professional, working for studios like Marvel Entertainment, NBCUniversal, and FX Network. It was during this time that Orrell rediscovered his artistic calling for photography. Orrell was introduced to film photography by a friend and colleague, resulting in the purchase of his first film camera, a Canon AE-1, in the winter of 2017. What started as an experiment, photographing family, friends, and his surroundings, soon became a search for truth and understanding. Using vintage cameras and through trial and error, Orrell taught himself the fundamentals of photography while also learning about the works of Louis Draper, Ming Smith, Deana Lawson, Roy DeCarava, Danny Dawson, and many more.

Orrell is currently working on a grant project titled, The Hair•itage Project, which is an exploration and chronicle of black hair’s journey and contributions to American culture: By pulling from cultural references, including historical events, motifs, and symbols, featuring uniquely braided hairstyles found throughout the African diaspora, The Hair•itage Project will highlight all the reasons why black hair is not "just hair.”