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. His photographs and monographs are in the collections of, The Cleveland Museum of Art and The Museum Of Contemporary, among others. McDonald studied fashion, house music, and dance club culture before receiving an MFA in Photography at Columbia College Chicago. Currently serving as an adjunct faculty member in the Photography Department at Columbia College Chicago and lecturer in the Department of Photography at the School of the Art Institute. His most recent project, The Heat of the Cool, published by Birds Trapped In Airports, was published in 2023; McDonald calls the storied south side of Chicago his home and creative wellspring.
Profile caption: Self Portrait of the artist Profile image by: ©Cecil McDonald, Jr
Self Portrait of the artist
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
Featured Artworks
Pieta
Still image from a video recording of a silent protest/performance.
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
This is a still image of the artist holding an American flag, one of many performances and installations created as an artist in residency at Senn High School.
DREAMER
Two students activate (walk through) the installation in the Senn High School lunch room.
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
A diptych of two young black students in/during an installation in a high school lunch room with silver balloons spelling DREAMER
Flyin High
Photograph of installation/performance, aerial view of students and adults holding kites
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
Students and adults holding their portraits printed on kites that will be flown as part of the culminating event/performance for the photograph's making.
JOY
Photograph of students performing tableau that expresses joy.
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
Photograph created in collaboration with 8th grades students at Manierre Elementary school. They performed tableaus that expressed one word, in this case, Joy.
The Remix
Diptych photograph, where students have remixed a vintage photograph.
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
This diptych photograph results from an 8-week residency at Herzl Elementary School. Eight-grade students were given vintage photographs to remix, which helped teach the more abstract concepts of photography.
Metropolis A City in Black
Four separate collaged images made of photographs, portraits, and color accompanied by testimony from participant Caile.
©Cecil McDonald, Jr
The collages, created by the Chicago Public School teachers and the South Side Community Art Center members using the Center's archive, are not just artistic expressions. They are also valuable historical artifacts that will be added to the final window projection and new work for the Center's historical archive, enriching our understanding of the past.
Cecil McDonald Jr. has crowd-funded a project with 3AP
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- $5,692 raised of $5,000 goal
- 0 Days 0:00:00 LEFT
In the Company of Black is a photography publication that will bring together images of black people who represent everyday folks. For the past seven years, I have developed a body of work that focuses on portraits of extraordinarily, ordinary …
Read more about In the Company of Black -
- $6,525 raised of $6,000 goal
- 0 Days 0:00:00 LEFT
Encouraged by the healing and regenerative power of art, I’m bringing a new public project called Joy Ride: An Odyssey in Black to the streets of Bronzeville on Chicago’s South Side. This project is inspired by West African traditions that …
Read more about Joy Ride: An Odyssey in Black