Dr. Deborah Willis, chair of the NYU Tisch Department of Photography and Imaging, is the Robert Mapelthorpe Resident in Photography at the American Academy in Rome for the month of May. She will be conducting research on photographer Gordon Parks' work in Italy, retracing his footstep by "revisiting the Rome site where he worked as a journalist, fashion photographer, and artist."
Each year, distinguished artist and scholars from around the world are invited to the Academy as Residents. During their stay, Residents live and work as part of the AAR community, serving informally as a resource for the Fellows and participating in special Academy-wide events.
She will also have her photography work included in the American Academy in Rome's exhibition, The Academic Body, on view May 23 to July 13, 2019 as part of the series, New Work in the Arts & Humanities: The Body.