Two new photography exhibitions in Houston explore the past and future of image-making. At Moody Gallery, a retrospective titled "MANUAL — The Collaboration of Ed Hill & Suzanne Bloom, 1974-2024" honors the legacy of the groundbreaking photographic duo MANUAL, co-founded by Ed Hill and the late Suzanne Bloom, who passed away in 2025. The show, closing April 25, features works inspired by art history, literature, and nature, including pieces referencing Paul Cézanne and Walt Whitman. Meanwhile, at Rice University's Moody Center for the Arts, the group exhibition "Imaging After Photography" (through May 9) examines the intersection of photography and artificial intelligence, featuring artists like Trevor Paglen, Refik Anadol, and Joan Fontcuberta, and raising questions about bias in datasets and algorithms.
These exhibitions matter because they confront the uncertain future of image-making in the age of AI while honoring the enduring influence of a pioneering photographic duo. MANUAL's retrospective not only celebrates 50 years of collaboration and a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship but also underscores the duo's role in reshaping photography as an artistic medium. "Imaging After Photography" directly engages with contemporary debates about generative AI, bias, and the evolving definition of photography, making Houston a key site for critical dialogue on how technology transforms visual culture.