EXHIBITION ARTIST – Oct 24, 2026 – Mar 6, 2027
CECIL McDONALD, JR.: The American Beauty
Pronouns: (he/him)
Photo by Cecil McDonald, Jr, Courtesy the artist.
Cecil McDonald, Jr. (b. 1965, Chicago) is most interested in the intersections of masculinity, familial relations, and Black culture’s artistic and intellectual pursuits, particularly as this culture intersects with and informs the larger culture. Through photography, video, and dance/performance, he investigates and questions the norms and customs governing our understanding of each other, our families, and the myriad of societal struggles and triumphs. McDonald studied fashion, house music, and dance club culture before receiving an MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago.
McDonald currently serves as a lecturer at the School of the Art Institute and as an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago. His art has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, with works in the permanent collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, Chicago Bank of America LaSalle Collection, and Museum of Contemporary Photography. His first-edition monograph, In The Company of Black, was published and shortlisted by Aperture Foundation for the 2017 First PhotoBook Award.
McDonald is the recipient of many prestigious honors including the Joyce Foundation Midwest Voices & Visions Award, the Artadia Award, The Swiss Benevolent Society, Lucerne, Switzerland Residency, and the 3Arts Teaching Artist Award.
Find Cecil on Instagram: @cecilmcdonald
