
History Reconsidered: Reimagining History through Photography
About the Event:
MacArthur Fellow and Professor Emeritus of Photography at Columbia College in Chicago, Dawoud Bey is one of the most celebrated photographers in American history. Fellow colleague and renowned photographer Kelli Connell is an artist who investigates sexuality, gender, identity, and the relationship between photographer and subject. Natasha Egan, Executive Director at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, moderates a discussion for Chicago Humanities on re-engaging with and reimagining history through photography. Both Bey (Elegy, Aperture, 2023) and Connell (Pictures for Charis, Aperture, 2024) draw on references from their latest books that span their recent work and present photography’s capacity for reimagining our connection to history.
A book signing will follow this program.

Credit: Kelli Connell, Chama River, 2018
This program is generously underwritten in part by the David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Arts Foundation.
- Chicago Humanities is pleased to partner with Chicago’s Seminary Co-op Bookstores, the country’s first not-for-profit bookstore.
- Pre-order Elegy and Pictures for Charis through the Chicago Humanities Box Office and save 20% while supporting local, independent bookselling.
- Add books to your cart when adding tickets. Your receipt will contain a book voucher, which you show to the bookseller on-site to pick up your book(s).
- Please visit our FAQ for more information.

Dawoud Bey
Dawoud Bey (born in New York, 1953) has for decades made groundbreaking and evocative work about the histories of Bla...

Kelli Connell
Kelli Connell is an artist whose work investigates sexuality, gender, identity and photographer / sitter relationship...

Natasha Egan
Since 2011, Natasha Egan has served as the executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia C...
Presenting Partners
Major Sponsors
Book Cover: Untitled (James River) from the series Stony the Road, 2023, Dawoud Bey (American, born 1953), gelatin silver print. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Gift of Mrs. Alfred duPont, by exchange. Image © Dawoud Bey.














