Adopting the aesthetic and posture of nineteenth‑century studio portraits and paintings, Smith critically examines the cotton industry and its role in shaping and sustaining the modern U.S. economy. Influenced by the ways African American photographers have used photography as a tool for self‑representation, they imagine themselves within spaces that evoke a “present past.” Through this process, Smith constructs a visual record that engages storytelling, history, and time.

Smith earned an MFA in Photography and Related Media from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a BFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Their work has been exhibited at Autograph ABP in London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and FotoFest Biennial in Houston, among other venues. Smith has received numerous awards, including the Prix Picto De La Mode from the Picto Foundation, the Coup de Cœur Leica Prize from Photo Brussels, and recognition as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Inaugural Silver List.

Additional Speakers:

Anaiis Cisco, Reighan Gillam, Sarah Lewis, Mary Pena, Channell Russell, Malcolm Sen, Toby Sisson