The Photographed Person was Always There

Dawoud Bey, A Man in a Bowler Hat, from the Harlem, USA portfolio, 1976

Dawoud Bey, A Woman Waiting In The Doorway, from the Harlem, USA portfolio, 1976

On May 29, 2025, MoCP presented a series of conversations that explored topics of authorship, representation, and the dissemination of information as they relate to the past, present, and future of photography.

This special edition of Focal Point Extras captures the conversation between artist Dawoud Bey and scholar Leigh Raiford on the topic of “The Photographed Person was Always There.” The two explored the critical role of the photographed person in portraiture, and how they shape images and their meaning.

 For more information on Dawoud Bey’s work in the MoCP collection, please visit this link.