Perception of Self: Photographer David Hilliard in conversation with Hunter O’Hanian

A presentation and reception at Schoolhouse Gallery

Hunter O’Hanian, director of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York City, will talk with David Hilliard about the photographer’s work, especially as showcased in David’s new book, What Could Be (Minor Matter Books), a semi-autobiographical progression of his explorations of family, societal norms, relationships, and moments of personal discovery in understanding concepts of masculinity. After the presentation, David and Hunter will be free to answer questions and discuss issues raised during their conversation. The event is free, but donations to Twenty Summers are encouraged. Copies of David’s books will be available for purchase.

David Hilliard creates large-scale multipaneled color photographs, often based on his life or the lives of people around him. His panoramas direct the viewer’s gaze across the image surface, allowing narrative, time, and space to unfold. David received his BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and his MFA from Yale University School of Art. A longtime assistant professor and director of the undergraduate photo department at Yale, he is now a regular visiting faculty member at a number of Boston institutions, including Harvard University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. David has won numerous awards, including Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowships. Exhibited internationally and represented by several galleries nationwide (including Schoolhouse), his work may be found in important collections, such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Museum of Contemporary Art in L.A., and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 2005 Aperture Press published a major monograph of his photographs.

Hunter O’Hanian became the director of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in 2012. Recently accredited by the New York State Board of Regents, the Leslie-Lohman Museum is the only art museum devoted exclusively to artwork that speaks to the LGBTQ experience. Previously, Hunter was VP of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the Foundation for Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. He has also led two renowned artists’ residency programs, Anderson Ranch Arts Center (outside Aspen) and Provincetown’s Fine Arts Work Center (which recently endowed a fellowship in his name).