Dawoud Bey: Class Pictures October 9, 2010

For 'Class Pictures,' Dawoud 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. Bey spent two to three weeks in each school. The resulting portraits - 40-by-30-inch color prints - are arresting both compositionally and psychologically. A page written by each subject and edited by Bey is displayed alongside his or her photograph. Many of the first-person statements are touching, funny or harrowing, invariably deepening our appreciation for young adults facing the challenges of the 21st century.