Steve McCurry + Gary Knell

Photographer Steve McCurry with the help of National Geographic President and CEO Gary Knell, investigates the impact that some of his imagery has had on current affairs, as well as on the personalities captured by his lens. A retrospective of McCurry’s photographs of India opens at the Rubin on November 18.

Steve McCurry has been an iconic figure in contemporary photography for more than thirty years. He studied cinematography at Pennsylvania State University before going on to work for a newspaper. After two years McCurry made his first of what would become many trips to India. Since then he has gone on to create unforgettable images over six continents and numerous countries. His body of work spans conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions, and contemporary culture alike. McCurry has been recognized with some of the most prestigious photography awards, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal, National Press Photographers Award, and an unprecedented four first prize awards from the World Press Photo contest. Phaidon is scheduled to publish a book of Steve McCurry’s photographs of India in October 2015, which will accompany the exhibition.

Gary E. Knell joined the National Geographic Society as president and CEO in January 2014. He has been a member of the Society’s board of trustees since April 2013 and has served on the board of governors of the National Geographic Education Foundation since November 2003. Knell’s media career spans nearly three decades, including 22 years at Sesame Workshop, where he was COO for two years before assuming the role of CEO in 2000. From 2011 to 2013 Knell was president and CEO of National Public Radio. Knell is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on the boards of Heidrick & Struggles and Common Sense Media as well as the advisory boards of the Military Child Education Coalition and the Pentagon Memorial Fund. He is an adviser to the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.