A Pound of Pictures, a photographic series and photobook that Alec Soth made between 2018 and 2021, began with the idea of photographing along the same route that Abraham Lincoln’s body was taken after the US President was assassinated in 1865. However, after taking a few photographs for this series, Soth decided that he needed to change directions, both physically and conceptually. He began working close to home, as he often does, and to take photographs that reflected what he was thinking about at the time: that is, what it means to be a photographer, the photographic process, and the weight of photographs.

During this tour, Dr. Candice M. Hamelin will take visitors along both floors of the exhibition and explain how this self-reflexive series, one that was initially an attempt to “mourn the divisiveness in America,” became all about photography. She will also elaborate on Soth’s photographic practice, key images in the series, and the multiple meanings behind the title A Pound of Pictures.