Cecil McDonald, Jr. (B. 1965, Chicago) is most interested in the intersections of masculinity, familial relations, and black culture’s artistic and intellectual pursuits, particularly as this culture intersects with and informs the larger culture. Through photography, video, and dance/performance, he investigates and questions the norms and customs governing our understanding of each other, our families, and the myriad societal struggles and triumphs. His photographs and monographs are in the collections of, The Cleveland Museum of Art and The Museum Of Contemporary, among others. McDonald studied fashion, house music, and dance club culture before receiving an MFA in Photography at Columbia College Chicago. Currently serving as an adjunct faculty member in the Photography Department at Columbia College Chicago and lecturer in the Department of Photography at the School of the Art Institute. His most recent project, The Heat of the Cool, published by Birds Trapped In Airports, was published in 2023; McDonald calls the storied south side of Chicago his home and creative wellspring.