Opening Passages with Ladies Who Lit & The Paris Novel

Join Ladies Who Lit at the Chicago Cultural Center for panel discussion with Opening Passages exhibiting photographers Opening Passages photographers Marzena Abrahamik & zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o'neal panel conversation, inspired by our reading our The Paris Novel, and moderated by LWL founder Kaylen Ralph.

Ruth Reichl's offers a romantic portrayal of Paris 50 years ago, whereas Opening Passages: Photographers Respond to Chicago and Paris, is a dynamic survey of the social landscapes of Paris (and Chicago) today. Join Ladies Who Lit at the Chicago Cultural Center (Exhibit Hall, 4th Floor North) to explore the exhibition, on view through August 25, and then join in for a panel conversation with exhibiting photographers Marzena Abrahamik & zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o'neal, which will be informed by themes and anecdotes from the book.

Abrahamik and dumas-o'neal will present on their contributions to the Opening Passages exhibition, speak to their respective photographic practices, and weigh in on topics ranging from the representation of women's and Black bodies in art history and today. Reichl's references to Édouard Manet's famous Olympia in this book will feature prominently in this discussion.

If you purchase a copy of the book to read in the leadup to and/or aftermath of this discussion, please consider doing so through LWL’s affiliate link with Bookshop.org, which will support LWL and independent bookstores across the country! Or check it out from our amazing public library!

Opening Passages brings together ten photographic series by French and American artists that survey the dynamic social landscapes of Chicago and Paris. American artists include Marzena Abrahamik, Jonathan Michael Castillo, zakkiyyah najeebah dumas o’neal, Tonika Johnson, and Sasha Phyars-Burgess, while the French are Gilberto Guiza-Rojas, Karim Kal, Assia Labbas, Marion Poussier, and Rebecca Topakian.

Opening Passages: Photographers Respond to Chicago and Paris is organized by Villa Albertine in Chicago, curated by Carl Fuldner in association with Pascal Beausse from the Centre national des arts plastiques and Clément Postec from the Ateliers Médicis. It is supported by the Terra Foundation for the American Arts, Albertine Foundation chapter in Chicago, the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Chicago and the Institut Français.

Ladies Who Lit is a Chicago-based book club celebrating writing by women. The LWL community is open to all, and book discussions serve as the jumping off point for nuanced conversation about the female experience and how it is reflected not only in literature, but contemporary culture at large. Keep up with Ladies Who Lit on Instagram.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street, Chicago, United States