Jules Allen uses photography as a medium to expose, in his words, “the essential truth”: “that a culture’s power is clearest when presented on its own terms.”[7] He also shares the belief of photographer Diane Arbus, who states, “the more specific a thing is, the more general.” The artist, Danny Dawson has said, "Allen has a “keen eye for the obvious” in his lifelong work evocative of the contemporary black experience.[8] His images place subjects drawn from the richness of black life within universal paradigms. They have inspired collaborations with journalists, visual artists, musicians, playwrights, poets, and filmmakers.[citation needed]
Allen also used his photographs to confront segregation and racism. Allen comments on his collection depicting boxers in Gleason Gym by saying, "whatever racism existed, it did not seem to have much effect on the fighters in the room. It was a question of character. It was a place where people seemed to be more equal".[9] Allen used the boxing ring and the sport itself to display the equality between blacks and whites as they were literally on even ground and the only difference between the two was the character of each fighter. It wasn’t a question of who was what race and who had more privilege, it was about the heart and drive of each of the fighters in the ring. In collaboration with QCC Art Gallery Press, he published “Double Up,” “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “Marching Bands,” “Good Looking Out.” The fifth book, "The Hats And HatNots,” explores the territories of those who make up the overwhelming majority of the black diaspora in the enormous American lands. Its focus, the Hat, and all of its sub-textual trappings: legitimacy, power, honor, righteousness, the glory and resurrection, was released in September 2022.
Exhibited in the U.S. and abroad, as shown in the Permanent Museum Collections & Exhibition listing below, he is the recipient of grants and awards.[10] His photographs are housed in museum collections worldwide.[11] His commercial and corporate work has been seen on covers of national publications such as Business Week, Forbes and Black Enterprise magazines as well as within the Annual Reports of corporate boards and clients within the music industry.[12]
Southeast Queens Camera Club, Jamaica, NY, Lecture Apr 17, 2012
SOHO Photo Gallery, PhotoGroup Salon, Group Lecture, New York, NY, Jan 18, 2012
Propositions on the Permanent Collection, Group Exhibition, Studio Museum of Harlem, New York, NY, 2009
Marching Bands Exhibit, Solo Exhibition, The Jazz Gallery, New York, NY, 2006
Photographs: Jules Allen, Solo Exhibition, Institute of African Affairs, NY University, New York, NY, 2006
Imagenes Havana, Group Exhibition of Latin, Caribbean and U.S. photographers, Santiago/Havana, Cuba, co-sponsored by Fototeca and The Washington Post, 2004
Americanos, Group Exhibition, Smithsonian Institution; shown in 26 cities across the US, 2002
Life of the City, Group Exhibition, Permanent Collection, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 2002
Committed to the Image, Group Exhibition, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, NY, 2001
Harlem, Group Exhibition, Leica Gallery, New York, NY, 2000
Black New Yorkers/ Black New York, Group Exhibition, Schomburg Center, New York, NY, 1999
Americanos: Latino Life in the United States, Group Exhibition, Museum of the City of New York, NY, 1999
Photograph Magazine, "McArthur Binion & Jules Allen: Me and You" May 2024, Vol. 19, No. 5 McArthur Binion and Jules Allen, Me and You, Introduction by Dr. Thulani Davis, Grey Gallery, Apr 2024
Photography Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts, 1991
Award, New York Council of the Arts, & Public Art Fund Presentation; “60 Bus Stop Shelters,” City College of New York, New York, 1992
Research & Photography Grant Funding, City University of New York, NY, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, 1994–99; 2001
Imagines Havana, Documentary Photography Panel, Seminar for Latin, Caribbean and US photographers; co-sponsored by The Washington Post and Fototeca, 2003
Research & Photography Grant Funding, CETL Grants & Awards City University of New York, New York, 2003
Research & Photography Grant Funding, CETL Grants & Awards City University of New York, New York, 2004–2009
Southeast Queens Camera Club, Jamaica, New York, Lecture April 17, 2012
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