Photographer Steve McCurry makes U.S. debut in Chicago with ICONS, a retrospective with his most iconic images

ICONS, one of the most complete retrospectives of famous American photographer, Steve McCurry, is preparing to launch its first exhibition in the United States this October in the culturally rich city of Chicago. The exhibition previously toured Australia, Portugal, Mexico and Spain. This unprecedented journey through the inspiration, life and work of McCurry will officially open at Chicago’s Loyola University Museum of Art starting October 20, 2023 for a limited time. The Loyola Museum of Art or LUMA, is best known for its exploration and exhibition of art that encompasses all cultures, faiths, and eras, and the perfect backdrop for this exhibition. Tickets are available now and can be purchased at www.stevemccurryicons.com/chicago/. 

Settled amongst the bustling atmosphere of Chicago’s downtown, the ICONS exhibition will immerse guests in the photographic universe of Steve McCurry through a journey that took him to some of the most beautiful and harrowing parts of the world. From Afghanistan to India, Southeast Asia to Africa, Cuba to the United States and Brazil to Italy, ICONS is a truly fascinating collection of images in which the human element is always the protagonist. Inspired by conflict, ancient traditions and contemporary culture, McCurry’s work represents the emotion of human suffering, joy and wonder, and features people of all ages, cultures and ethnicities – something he knew how to portray with surprising strength and naturalness. Downloadable audio guides and videos will invite guests into the world of this renowned and intrepid photographer, revealing details and descriptions of more than 40 of McCurry’s pictures in his own words, as well as giving insight into his travels, his adventures, and his profession. The audio recording of the exhibit takes approximately an hour to complete.

Presented by pioneering production company, Sold Out, in partnership with Milan-based agency for internationally-renowned photographers, Sudest57; and leading global live-entertainment discovery platform, Fever, ICONS will feature over 80 large-format photographs of McCurry’s most iconic images, including the legendary 1984 portrait of the Afghan Girl, Sharbat Gula, which was famously featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine. The showing also includes other very well-known pictures he captured throughout his forty years of profession, including his most recent work.

The exhibition will be open to the public daily at the Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 N. Michigan Ave.