Overview
Exhibitions
Books
A comprehensive survey of the photography of rising and influential Black artist Joshua Rashaad McFadden
American artist Joshua Rashaad McFadden (b. 1990) makes photographs that explore and celebrate Black life in the United States. Published in conjunction with his first solo museum exhibition, Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I’ll Run On demonstrates his mastery of a wide range of photographic genres—social documentary, reportage, portraiture, and fine art—and his use of the medium to confront racism and anti-Black violence. Like Black photographers before him, such as Gordon Parks, Roy DeCarava, Carrie Mae Weems, Dawoud Bey, and LaToya Ruby Frazier, McFadden documents the beauty of Black life and illuminates the specificity of Black living in our historical present, including a series of impactful photographs devoted to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Along with a candid conversation between McFadden and artist Lyle Ashton Harris and an essay that traces McFadden’s meteoric career, this catalogue offers an overview of and insight into a poignant and deeply personal body of work, asserting McFadden’s key role in shaping the art and visual culture of the United States.
Published in association with the George Eastman Museum
Projects
Awards & Grants
2023
Lucie Photo Book Prize, Traditional Category, Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I'll Run On
2023
International Photography Award (IPA Awards), Official Selection / Book-Documentary / Jury Top 5 Selection
2023
Magnum Foundation, Health Equity Grant
2021
For Freedoms + National Geographic, Grant
2020
National Geographic Emergency Fund, Grant
2020
Joy of Giving Something Fellowship for Photography, New York Foundation for the Arts, Grant
2020
International Photography Award (IPA Awards), 1st Place: Editorial / Press-Contemporary issues / Jury Top 5 Selection
Selected Publications, Reviews, & Media Appearances
Front Page Tear Sheets
Selected Publications, Professional Writings
The following includes essays I have written, journalistic stories I have reported on, and photo essays.
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020). Evidence (Vol. 1). Rochester, New York: VSW Press.
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020, July 27). "America, again": Chapter 5: American myths. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://viiphoto.medium.com/america-again-chapter-5-american-myths-6cb3c402af35
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020, December). ‘I Can’t Breathe’: A Year of Unrest in America Through the Lens of Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Art Review, 72(8), 109-113. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://artreview.com/i-cant-breathe-photographs-of-unrest-in-america-joshua-rashaad-mcf adden/
2020
Finley, C., Weems, C. M., Williams, D. L., McFadden, J. R., & Simmons, X. (2020). The Story of African American Photographs. IMA: Living With Photography, 33, 139-160.
2020
Herndon, A. W., Freeman, D., Justice, L., & McFadden, J. R. (2020, June 20). On Juneteenth, Tulsa Pairs Joy With Defiance. The New York Times, p. A1.
2020
Fernandez, M., Burch, A., & McFadden, J. R. (2020, June 9). Man of Outsize Dreams Stirred a Movement With Final Breaths. The New York Times, pp. A1-A17.
2020
Searcey, D., & McFadden, J. R. (2020, June 5). AT FLOYD SERVICE, A CRY OF PAIN: ‘GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS’. The New York Times, p. A1.
2020
Searcey, D., McFadden, J. R., Schukar, A., Barrayn, L. A., Blue, V. J., & Agtmael, P. V. (2020, June 4). At George Floyd Memorial, an Anguished Call for Change. The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/floyd-memorial-funeral.html
2020
Searcey, D., McFadden, J. R., Schukar, A., Barrayn, L. A., Blue, V. J., & Agtmael, P. V. (2020, June 4). At George Floyd Memorial, an Anguished Call for Change. The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/floyd-memorial-funeral.html
2020
Searcey, D., McFadden, J. R., Schukar, A., Barrayn, L. A., Blue, V. J., & Agtmael, P. V. (2020, June 4). At George Floyd Memorial, an Anguished Call for Change. The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/floyd-memorial-funeral.html
2020
2020: The year in pictures. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/graphics/2020-the-year-in-pictures-feature
2020
The elderly trapped IN BRONXWOOD. (2020, November 30). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://newrepublic.com/article/160304/covid-elderly-new-york-bronxwood-assisted-living- outbreak
2020
The fall of jeff sessions, and what came after. (2020, June 30). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/magazine/jeff-sessions.html
2021
From civil rights to black lives matter. (2021, February 03). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-civil-rights-to-black-lives-matter1/
2021
I was a low-income college student. classes weren't the hard part. (2019, September 10). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/09/10/magazine/college-inequality.html
2020
Inside the us Protests: Pictures of a nation in turmoil. (2020, June 04). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.ft.com/content/787388d0-38ac-4fff-9249-49e5c7457804
2021
March on Washington: 'A fractured and TRAUMATIZED nation' marches on. (2021, February 10). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/fractured-traumatized-nation-marches- washington-57-years-later
2021
The new southern strategy. (2020, September 04). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/10/black-mayors-southern-cities/6154 69/
2021
New transcripts Detail last moments for George Floyd. (2020, July 08). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/us/george-floyd-body-camera-transcripts.html
2021
Steven Mnuchin's Deal staved Off Catastrophe. can he make another one? (2020, September 29). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/magazine/mnuchin-cares-act-stimulus.html
2020
They came to say goodbye to RAYSHARD Brooks: 'this is a moment. This is a big deal'. (2020, June 23). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/us/gallery/rayshard-brooks-funeral-portraits-cnnphotos/in dex.html
2021
Voices from the Commitment march ON Washington: 'WE'VE come a long way, but our journey is Not over'. (2021, February 10). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/commitment-march-washington-come-l ong-way-journey-not-over
2021
Voters say black lives matter protests were important. they disagree on why. (2020, November 07). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/us/black-lives-matter-protests.html
2021
"We don't even know who is dead or alive": Trapped inside an assisted living facility during the pandemic. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.propublica.org/article/we-dont-even-know-who-is-dead-or-alive-trapped-inside-an-assisted-living-facility-during-the-pandemic
2020
Why Minneapolis was the breaking point. (2020, June 15). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/wesley-lowery-george-floyd-minneapo lis-black-lives/612391/
2020
McCarty, L. (2020). Creating change from within: Building and discovering a diverse archive of documentary arts. Photography and Culture, 13(3-4), 357-368. doi:10.1080/17514517.2020.1776583
2019
(2019, August 23). Black artist series: Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Andscape. https://theundefeated.com/features/black-artist-series-joshua-rashaad-mcfadden/
Lectures, Presentations, Panels
2024
McFadden, J. R. (2024, March). I Believe I’ll Run On. Lecture, St. Louis, Missouri; Society for Photographic Education, 2024 SPE Annual Conference: New Realities.
2024
McFadden, J. R. (2024, February). “Pressing On to Higher Ground: The Fight of Black Transgender Activists to ‘Simply Be.’” Abolish THIS! Queer and Trans* Voices of Abolition. Chicago; College Art Association of America, CAA 112th Annual Conference.
2023
McFadden, J. R. (2023, September). Trials Dark on Every Hand: Perpetual Black Grief and Injustice. Lecture and Workshop Series. Rochester, New York; University of Rochester.
2023
McFadden, J. R., Osman, A., Ogbara, L. A., Harris, E. S., & Barber, T. (2023, September). Black Visual Culture|Black Visual Life: Artists in Conversation. By Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African-American Studies. Rochester, NY; Memorial Art Gallery, Main Auditorium, University of Rochester.
2023
McFadden, J. R. (2023, February). Evidence. Visiting Artist for Taryn Simon: A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters. Providence, RI; Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
2023
McFadden, J. R. (2023, February). Art Talk: Photographer Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I’ll Run On. Shepherdstown, West Virginia; Shepherd University.
2023
McFadden, J. R. (2023, January). Evidence: The United States. National Geographic Storytellers Summit: Works in Progress. Washington, D.C.; National Geographic.
2023
McFadden, J. R. (2023). IN THIS MOMENT 2: Revolution Reckoning Reparation. Panel Discussion . Rochester, NY; Visual Studies Workshop.
2023
McFadden, J. R., & Gonzalez, A. (2023, February). Visualizing Equality: Photography, Visual Culture and the Black Freedom Struggle. Department of History, the Dean’s Office of the College of Liberal Arts at RIT. Rochester, NY; Rochester Institute of Technology.
2022
McFadden, J. R., Sealy, M., & Overby, K. (2022, March). Conversations on Race, Rights and Representation. VISUAL ARTS, CULTURE, AND MEDIA LECTURE SERIES, Panel Discussion . Rochester, New York; Rochester Institute of Technology.
2022
McFadden, J. (2022). Unrest in America. The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru), 2022 National Conference: Exploring Artistic Research. Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Michigan.
2022
McFadden, J. R., & Harris, L. A. (2022, November). Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I’ll Run On - a book talk & conversation with McFadden & Lyle A. Harris. The Black Rest Project, NYU Institute of African American Affairs & Center for Black Visual Culture. New York, NY; New York University.
2022
McFadden, J. R., Shaw, T., & Jenkins, K. (2022). In Conversation: Joshua Rashaad McFadden’s Evidence. Panel Discussion. Rochester, NY; George Eastman Museum.
2022
McFadden, J. R., & Harris, L. A. (2022, April). In Conversation: Joshua Rashaad McFadden and Lyle Ashton Harris. Rochester, NY; George Eastman Museum.
2022
McFadden, J. R., Barrayn, L. A., Allen, D., & Watkins, R. B. (2022, April). Photography and Social Justice. Panel Discussion. Rochester, NY; George Eastman Museum, Online Programming.
2022
McFadden, J. R., Kaimana, K., Vann-Jones, J., & Richardson, J. (2022, June). The Sonic Life of Photography. Panel Discussion. Rochester, NY; George Eastman Museum.
2022
McFadden, J., & Willman, M. (2022, April). Cultural Lens—Experiences and images from documenting extraordinary moments across the United States and South Africa. Lecture, Rochester, NY; Rochester Institute of Technology .
2022
McFadden, J. (2022, March). Social Protest Photography, Public History, and Racial Justice: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter. Organization of American Historians Conference on American History. Boston, MA.
2022
McFadden, J. R., & Harris, L. A. (2022, November). The Black Rest Project presents Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I’ll Run On – a book talk and conversation with artists Joshua Rashaad McFadden and Lyle Ashton Harris. Center for Black Visual Culture’s initiative. New York, NY; New York University.
2022
McFadden, J. (2022, November). NOSSA EXISTENCIA E UM PROTESTO: Uma conversa com Joshua Rashaad McFadden . (OUR EXISTENCE IS A PROTEST: A conversation with Joshua Rashaad McFadden). Salvador, Bahia; Zumví Arquivo Fotográfico.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021, May). “I Can’t Breathe”: A year of unrest through the lens of Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Rochester City School District, and My Brothers Keeper. Rochester, New York; RCSD.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021, March). A Journey to Selfhood," a virtual conversation with artist Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Lecture, Atlanta, GA; The Lovett School.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021). Joshua Rashaad McFadden. ICP Talks: Joshua Rashaad McFadden. New York, New York; The International Center of Photography.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021). Guest Faculty Lecture: John Hitchcock and Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Guest Faculty Lecture: Snowmass Village, CO; Anderson Ranch.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021, January). A Moment in a Movement. RIT’s Let Freedom Ring celebration. Rochester, New York; Rochester Institute of Technology.
2021
McFadden, J. R. (2021, April 12). Evidence: Collecting and Re-Situating Testimonies of Black Seflhood. Lecture pre- sented at Imagining Legacy: Archives, Collections, and Memoria in Society for Photographic Edu- cation. - Proposed abstract in Fall 2020
2020
McFadden, J. R., Edwards, K., Brown, T., Franklin, A., Overby, K., & Ntheketha, J. (2020, October). Reporting While Black. RIT’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion and the RIT journalism program, Panel Discussion . Rochester, NY; Rochester Institute of Technology.
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020, November 6). Conversation with Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Lecture presented at Columbia University in New York, New York.
2020
McFadden, J. R., & Harris, L. A. (2020, October 16). Let’s Talk: Artists of Color Series - Lyle Ashton Harris in conver- sation with Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Lecture presented at New York University in New York, Rochester.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zctCaieXOY&feature=emb_logo
2020
McFadden, J. (2020, October 14). ACP Lecture Series: Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Speech presented at Atlanta Celebrates Photography and Emory University in Georgia, Atlanta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbCVlVmR2Ao&t=2s
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020, April 16). Come to Selfhood and Evidence. Lecture presented at Thinker Thursday at Ander- son Ranch in Colorado, Snowmass Village.
2020
McFadden, J. R., & Hostetler, L. (2020, July 10). Deconstructing Iconic Images: A Conversation with Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Lecture presented at The George Eastman Museum in New York, Rochester.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGcQn8A43i8&t=3692s
2020
McFadden, J. R. (2020, February 28). Evidence: Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Lecture presented at Lecture at Uni- versité des Antilles, Martinique.
2020
McFadden, J. R., Barrayn, L. A., Brooks, D., Lewis, B., May, C., McCoy, M. A., & Weatherspoon, L. (2020, June 26). Documenting a National Reckoning on Race and Justice. Lecture presented at Focus on The Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e18VPuUp5HU&feature=emb_title
2020
McFadden, J. R., Ramsess, A., Lewis, B., & Wong, M. (2020, June 24). CNN Newsroom Panel about Documenting Unrest. Lecture presented at CNN in Georgia, Atlanta.
2019
McFadden, J. R. (2019, November 19). Evidence: Re-thinking Identity and African American Males. Speech present- ed at Liberty Hill Breakfast Series at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Rochester.
The seventh edition of the biennial contemporary art exhibition Personal Structures encourages exploration beyond boundaries, fostering a broader perspective, and overcoming restrictions to promote personal, social, and global growth. It features a wide selection of artworks from internationally renowned and emerging artists, photographers, and sculptors as well as worldwide galleries and academic institutions, exhibited in the historical venues of Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and Marinaressa Gardens. The group show is intended to encourage dialogue, cultural exchange, and idea-sharing among its participants, exploring the themes of Time, Space, and Existence from a variety of perspectives.