Staging the Orient Lecture: Photography & Western Imagination

Whether you’re a lover of art, photography, or history, this event offers fresh insight into the visual legacy of colonialism and the cultural myths it helped create.

The Alliance partnered with the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) and the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) on a program exploring the role of photography in shaping Western perceptions of the East during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Marc Maillot, ISAC Museum Director & Chief Curator, will speak about his work in Egypt and Sudan and present the Museum’s current exhibition, Staging the East: Orientalist Photography in Chicago Collections (April 17–August 17, Protected content .

Nicolas Revire, Daniel F. & Ada L. Rice Research Fellow at the AIC will examine how colonial-era images of Cambodia’s ancient temples constructed a powerful—and often romanticized—vision of the “mysterious East.” Drawing on a rich selection of colonial-era photographs and their legacy, he will explore how Angkor was visually constructed as a romantic ruin, fueling “Angkormania” in Europe and North America and influencing museum narratives to this day.

Their lectures will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Alex Jen, AIC Assistant Curator in Prints & Drawings and Arts of Asia.

After the program, guests will have the chance to speak with the panelists over a complimentary glass of French wine.

Doors at 6:00. Program at 6:30 p.m. Non-alcoholic options will be available.