A photographer captures life inside Chicago Public Schools

toggle caption Melissa Ann Pinney

Melissa Ann Pinney photographed the everyday moments of adolescence inside Chicago Public Schools during a seven-year artist residency. Her series Becoming Themselves portrays students, especially those marginalized and underrepresented, as they navigate identity, community and the many transformations of growing up.

We interviewed Pinney about the making of her series and the stories behind some of her favorite images. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

toggle caption Melissa Ann Pinney

toggle caption Melissa Ann Pinney

What drew you to photograph inside Chicago Public Schools?

I was invited by Artists in Public Schools, an organization that pairs artists for residencies in schools all over the city, to photograph Bell School and Ogden International Schools. It was an incredible opportunity to photograph and immerse myself in often overlooked communities of children and teens in Chicago.

Sponsor Message

Since I was in my teens and photographing my own family, childhood and adolescence has been a focus of my work. Girl Ascending, my 2010 monograph, explored the social lives and coming-of-age rituals of my daughter, Emma, her friends and teammates. The possibilities inherent in widening the scope of my work beyond these established personal connections was exciting.

toggle caption Melissa A