As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Visions of America invites reflection on the powerful role images have played in shaping American identity. This has been a constant throughout history, from the pastoral landscapes of the Hudson River School to photographic records of westward expansion, from the visual culture of the Civil Rights Movement to the digital spectacles of contemporary politics. In each case, imagery did more than depict reality—it actively helped to produce and define it. For this convening, we are honored to bring together a distinguished group of artists, poets, musicians, and theorists to interrogate and illuminate these dynamics.
We are delighted to be joined by a group of distinguished speakers:
Kimberly Juanita Brown, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing and Director of the Institute for Black Intellectual and Cultural Life, Dartmouth College
Alejandro Cartagena, artist
Kay Gabriel, writer and Editorial Director, The Poetry Project
Pia-Paulina Guilmoth, artist
Terrance Hayes, poet
Dionne Lee, artist
Brandon López, musician
Sofía Gallisá Muriente, artist and filmmaker
Neferti X. M. Tadiar, Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Barnard College
This Forum on Contemporary Photography is organized by Roxana Marcoci, Acting Chief Curator and The David Dechman Senior Curator of Photography, Caitlin Ryan, Assistant Curator, and Ekalan Hou, MRC Fellow, The Robert B. Menschel Department of Photography, MoMA.
