CORY REYNOLDS | DATE 5/5/2023

Powell's presents 'Eight Seconds' author Ivan McClelland with Leon Anderson

Sunday, May 5 at 7 PM, Portland's renowned Powell's City of Books will host Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture photographer Ivan McClellan in conversation with Leon Anderson, President of the multidisciplinary creative agency, Instrument. A book signing will follow the discussion. Signed copies are also available for pre-order at Powell’s.

In 2015, photographer Ivan McClellan attended the Roy LeBlanc Invitational in Oklahoma, the country’s longest-running Black rodeo, at the invitation of Charles Perry, director and producer of The Black Cowboy. “It was like going to Oz — there was all this color and energy,” McClellan says. “There was a backyard barbecue atmosphere… It felt like home.” Over the next decade, he embarked on journeys across America, crafting a multilayered look at contemporary Black rodeo culture. Whether photographing teen cowgirl sensation Kortnee Solomon at her family’s Texas stables, capturing bull riding champion Ouncie Mitchell in action, or hanging out with the Compton Cowboys at their Los Angeles ranch, McClellan chronicles the extraordinary athletes who keep the magic and majesty of the “Old West” alive with high-octane displays of courage, strength and skill. The book’s title refers to the sport of bull riding. Athletes must stay on a bull for a total of eight seconds while it bucks; the more hectic the ride, the higher they score. It’s an apt metaphor for McClellan’s devotion to this long-form documentary project, which required him to hone his reflexes, endurance, and stamina to get the perfect picture. With Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture (Damiani), McClellan honors the highest ideals of independence, integrity, and grit with intimate photographs that preserve the deep-rooted connections between people and land. McClellan will be joined in conversation by Leon Anderson, President of Instrument, a multidisciplinary creative agency founded in Portland, OR.

Please note: Signed preordered books will be shipped to you and are not available for pick-up in the store the night of the event (but if you're planning to attend, don't worry! Signed editions are usually available at the events). Also, Powell's can not accommodate personalized inscriptions, or guarantee the signed books are first editions. Thanks for your understanding.

Ivan McClelland and Leon Anderson on 'Eight Seconds'
Sunday, May 5: 7 PM
Powell's City of Books
1005 W Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97209