Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey included 40 photographic portraits of high school students paired with their own written words. For the exhibition, Bey photographed young people from all parts of the economic, racial and ethnic spectrum in both public and private high schools in Detroit; Lawrence and Andover, Massachusetts; Orlando; San Francisco; and New York City. The statements displayed alongside the portraits were written by the students and edited by Bey. Many of the statements were touching, funny or harrowing, deepening our appreciation for young adults facing the challenges of the 21^st century. Bey’s earlier work includes Harlem and Brooklyn portrait series.

Class Picture Day: Share your own class picture on Flickr.

Image credit: Dawoud Bey, Kevin, chromogenic print, 40 x 30 in. Image courtesy of Aperture Foundation.

The exhibition was organized by Aperture Foundation. With the support of The Penrod Society