Presented in conjunction with Opening Passages: Photographers Respond to Chicago and Paris, this panel discussion features exhibiting photographer zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o’neal, Elizabeth Cummings, Director of Pubic Engagement at the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, and Ladies Who Lit founder Kaylen Ralph (moderator) in a conversation inspired by Ruth Reichl’s “The Paris Novel.” The main character’s personal evolution takes place in 1980s Paris, while Opening Passages serves as a survey of the contemporary social landscapes of Paris and Chicago. dumas-o’neal’s contributions to the exhibition, a multi-media reflection on what it means to deepen definitions of self and place through environments that have offered her the most peace and fullness, and Cumming’s extensive knowledge of art and French history help bridge this work of fiction with reality. Reichl’s use of Édouard Manet’s famous “Olympia” painting factors prominently in this discussion, but be prepared to take the author’s clever plot device even further, addressing themes such as bodily and artistic autonomy and the representation of women’s bodies and Black bodies in art history and today. An audience Q&A follows the panel discussion.
RSVP is requested.
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An initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art in partnership with artists and organizations across the city, Art Design Chicago is a series of events and exhibitions that highlight the city’s artistic heritage and creative communities.
