To most people who have ever attended school, sitting for a school photo is a recognizable annual rite of passage. For those who can afford it, the white envelope with prints arrives, opened secretively then proudly shared with friends and family, or ashamedly hidden in the recesses of a dresser drawer. It is a ritual which at once unites and divides along lines of appearance, status, ability, language, and adherence to the perceived norms demanded by society. “School Photos and Their Afterlives” at the Hood Museum of Art from January 8 through April 12, has taken the commonality of the school photo and elevated it to a conveyance of historical significance and social accountability. Drawing on vast archival photographic records augmented by the work of artists including Marcelo Brodsky, Steven Deo, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Mirta Kupferminc, Silvina Der-Meguerditchian, Diane Meyer, Vik … [Read more...] about A CLASS REUNION: SCHOOL PHOTOS A SURPRISING DISPLAY AT THE HOOD