معرفی
Paul Mpagi Sepuya is an Associate Professor in Media Arts and MFA Program Director at the University of California San Diego, Department of Visual Arts. Based in Los Angeles, he is a leading contemporary artist whose work centers on photography, queer intimacy, and the deconstruction of portraiture.
- BFA, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (2004)
- MFA, University of California, Los Angeles (2016)
His research and artistic practice explore the intersections of Blackness, queerness, and the photographic medium, with a focus on studio dynamics, collaborative networks, and the politics of visibility. Sepuya’s work critically engages with the history of 19th-century portrait studios, using mirrors, fragmentation, and self-referential compositions to disrupt conventional narratives and expose the labor and desire embedded in image-making.
The themes in his recent articles reflect a sustained investigation into the studio as a site of queer production, where identity is performed, layered, and shared. His use of reflective surfaces, contact sheets, and visible apparatus underscores a meta-critical approach to photography, emphasizing process, collaboration, and the materiality of the medium. These works span genres from portraiture to still life, often merging the personal with the conceptual.
Notable scientific and artistic awards include:
- Rauschenberg Residency (2019)
- Los Angeles Artadia Award (2021)
Sepuya is an active mentor and educator, having taught at CalArts and Bard MFA, and currently leading the MFA program at UCSD. He has no known formal advisees listed, but his pedagogical influence extends through workshops, residencies, and public talks. His artist books and publications serve as critical extensions of his studio practice, functioning as both archival and theoretical contributions.
He maintains a vibrant studio practice in Los Angeles, where he continues to produce and exhibit work internationally, with upcoming solo exhibitions at Sprengel Museum (Hannover) and Fotomuseum Winterthur (2026). His work is held in major collections including MoMA, Whitney, Guggenheim, and LACMA.
