Photo Courtesy of ©William Douglas King, 2025
My artist talk for the i3 Lecture Series at the School of Visual Arts is now live on YouTube. I loved the chance to gather my current thinking about my art practice and to reflect on where I have been. If you have ever wondered how my Removed series began, why I work with a 4×5 view camera, or what I looked like as a toddler, please have a watch.
The talk touches on a lot. Hurricane Andrew and early family memories. Chicago years, darkrooms and large format. Teaching with Teach For America and grad school at UNC Chapel Hill. The moment that sparked Removed, why the devices are physically taken away, and how collaboration and consent shape every picture. We move through the No Show project about fake events online, then to India and Southeast Asia with the World Economic Forum, and into recent installations like Rio Innovation Week. I also share the five chapter structure of the book with Snap Collective, the Times Square Look Up spot this holiday season, and why I am openly talking about attention, parenting, and more humane design.
I was blown away by how engaged the audience was. Thank you to photo editor, curator, and licensing agent extraordinaire Julie Grahame for organizing the evening and curating the Fall 2025 i3 season. Deep thanks to SVA MPS Digital Photography and the staff who made it all happen. It was a joy to be in New York and to see so many friends, especially the Willets, my pal Massie and Gesche and for sticking around after for some dinner and drinks! Thank you to Charlotte at Snap Collective for being there, and to my dear friend Stella who gave me not one but two consecutive evenings to visit.
Gratitude to William Douglas King for the stills, which capture how much I unknowingly flail my arms while speaking. Instagram: @williamdkingphotography Facebook: William Douglas King
About the i3 Lecture Series
Started in 2011, i3 brings Images, Ideas, and Inspiration from leading photographers, artists, editors, gallerists, and industry experts. The Fall 2025 series is hosted by MPS Digital Photography faculty member Julie Grahame, and most past lectures are available on YouTube and Vimeo.
About my practice
I am a North Carolina based conceptual artist and photographer represented by Rick Wester Fine Art in New York. My work explores the emotional and social effects of digital technology on human connection. Removed is internationally known for staged black and white portraits made after devices are physically taken away. My work has been exhibited worldwide and is held in established collections, and has been featured by CNN, The Atlantic, Wired, and the BBC.
Credits
Speaker: Eric Pickersgill
Host and curator: Julie Grahame
Program: SVA MPS Digital Photography i3 Lecture Series
Stills: William Douglas King