Photo Call: Celebrating Composer Portraits
An exhibition of recent portrait photography commissions curated by Akhira Montague
Miller Theatre’s commitment to new work, living artists, and a thriving music community takes center stage in a photo exhibition paying tribute to its iconic flagship series, Composer Portraits. Featuring portrait commissions of composers included in the series in recent years, these vibrant images were captured by nine different photographers.
The exhibition will be on display throughout the season in the Miller Theatre lobby.
About the Curator
Akhira Montague (b. 1997) was born and raised in New Jersey. After attending boarding school in Putney, Vermont, she moved to Brooklyn, NY to study at Pratt Institute. Montague’s practice revolves around dissecting the moving image as both an object and an idea. She layers printed material, video, ink, paper, and wall space to demonstrate that life extends beyond our current experiences. She uses still and moving images as tools to relive the past and shape the future. Guided and inspired by researching her predecessors such as Deana Lawson, Martin Parr, and Gordon Parks, while examining social trends, Montague seeks to convey and expound on ideas centered around the relationships humans have with each other, themselves, and their environment. Montague is a recipient of the Gordon Parks Foundation Scholarship Award (2018). Her work has been featured in group shows at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, PA; La MaMa Gallery, NYC; and Alexander Gray Associates Gallery, NY.
“Shot both on the Columbia University campus and around the world, the 21 beautifully arranged portraits of composers featured on the series over the years…were their own potent program note. The arresting visual codified the series as a whole, underscoring the intent to celebrate a diversity of musical personalities and styles.”
Photos in the Exhibition
Featured Composers and Photographers
| Chinary Ung by Sandy Huffaker Andrew McIntosh by Alex Welsh Tania León by Rob Davidson Hannah Kendall by Rob Davidson Anthony Cheung by Jodi Hilton Lisa Bielawa by Rob Davidson Tyshawn Sorey by Matt Zugale Ash Fure by Matt Zugale Amy Williams by Rob Davidson Caroline Shaw by Kyle Dorosz Vijay Iyer by Kyle Dorosz |
Dai Fujikura by Christopher Terry |
Composer Portraits at 25
For 25 years, Miller Theatre’s Composer Portraits have given audiences a full-evening immersion into the work of the world’s best composers, featuring conversational on-stage talks that demystify the creative process. The series has fostered the creation of new work, served as an incubator for emerging artists, and created a community of adventurous listeners. Championing the work of today’s most inspiring composers, Composer Portraits are a mainstay of New York’s contemporary artistic landscape.