Woman with a Camera presents photographs by 14 women artists who come from a diverse set of backgrounds and generations, and address various artistic concerns. This intimate show includes established masters of the medium—such as Catherine Opie, Laurie Simmons, and Carrie Mae Weems—alongside exceptional younger artists—including Anne Collier, Xaviera Simmons, and Mickalene Thomas—who use photography to explore facets of politics, history, and identity. Though their practices are disparate, their works draw on three central themes in photography: rendering the human figure, capturing public or private spaces, and commenting on our media-saturated culture.

Each work on view entered the MCA collection through the generosity of Jack and Sandra Guthman, whose passion for collecting women photographers matches our own commitment to collecting work by female artists. The museum is honored to receive this major gift of 50 photographs from the Guthmans’ collection in celebration of the museum’s 50th anniversary. Along with other works from this gift, on view across our 50th anniversary exhibition programming, the selection in Woman with a Camera demonstrates the remarkable breadth of work in this collection, and affirms that the camera can be a tool for expression of all kinds.

This exhibition is organized by Nina Wexelblatt, Marjorie Susman Curatorial Fellow at the MCA. It is presented in the Carol and Douglas Cohen Gallery and Stone Family Gallery, Ellen Stone Belic and Dr. Nenad Belic, Cynthia and Richard Raskin, Carole David Stone and James H. Stone on the museum’s fourth floor.

Image: Leslie Hewitt, Untitled (Geographic Delay), 2009, Digital chromogenic print, Framed: 31 1/16 × 37 1/16 in. (78.9 × 94.1 cm), Collection Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, gift of Jack and Sandra Guthman, 2016.33. Photo: Nathan Keay, © MCA Chicago