Shawn Michelle Smith

Shawn Michelle Smith is Professor and Chair of Visual & Critical Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She is a distinguished scholar, writer, artist, and educator whose work centers on the history and theory of photography with a particular focus on race and gender in visual culture.

Her research interests span multiple interconnected fields including photographic history, critical race theory, gender studies in visual representation, and African American studies. Smith approaches her subjects through careful examination of images within their historical contexts, exploring how photographs acquire meaning and cultural significance across different historical periods.

Smith's scholarly work shows a clear trajectory examining photography's role in shaping racial and gender identities, with particular attention to historical trauma, representation, and visual politics. Her publications consistently engage with questions of power, visibility, and historical memory through the lens of photographic practice and theory.

• 2021 Ray and Pat Browne Award from the Popular Culture Association
• 2014 Lawrence W. Levine Award from the Organization of American Historians
• 2014 Jean Goldman Book Prize from SAIC
• Fellowships from Guggenheim Foundation, Clark Art Institute, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, and Schomburg Center

As an educator, Smith has mentored graduate students including Antonia Piedmonte-Lang (2021), and teaches advanced courses in photography studies and thesis supervision. Her artistic practice complements her scholarly work, with photo-based art exhibited nationally that explores themes parallel to her academic research. Smith also serves on editorial boards for American Art, Photography & Culture, and Journal of Visual Culture.