Duane Michals, the American photographer celebrated for his pioneering photo sequences and surreal, narrative-driven works, has died at age 94. His gallery, DC Moore Gallery, announced his passing. Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Michals began his photography career after a trip to the USSR in 1958, and his first solo exhibition was held in 1963 at New York's Underground Gallery. He became known for series such as *Empty New York* (1964) and *The Spirit Leaves the Body* (1968), moving away from single-frame street photography to create sequenced, dreamlike narratives. His work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in 1970, and he remained active into his 90s, later incorporating handwritten text and video collaborations with Josiah Cuneo. Recent retrospectives include shows at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Morgan Library, and Fundación MAPFRE.
Michals’s death marks the loss of a transformative figure in photography who challenged the dominance of the single, decisive image. By developing sequenced works that unfolded like visual stories, he expanded the medium’s narrative possibilities and influenced generations of artists. His playful, often metaphysical approach to photography—blending text, double exposures, and serial imagery—helped redefine what a photograph could be, making him a key bridge between modernist photography and contemporary conceptual art. His legacy endures through major museum holdings and ongoing exhibitions.