Join the Hargrett Rarebook and Manuscript Library for a conversation with acclaimed American portrait and special photographer Nancy Ellison, in celebration of the new exhibition "Seeking Intrinsic Essence, Whatever Direction: The Photography of Nancy Ellison."

Light refreshments will be provided. Free parking can be found in the Hull Street Deck after 5 p.m.

Ellison is an acclaimed photographer celebrated for her intimate, insightful documentation of contemporary culture over a career spanning several decades. Raised among the eccentricities of old Hollywood, she developed a unique gift for capturing the raw essence of her subjects, which included legendary figures of film, music, and politics including Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Beyond portraiture, Ellison has extensively photographed the performing arts, publishing highly regarded visual narratives on the American Ballet Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera. This exhibition traces Ellison's creative path from visual art and poetry into photography in her own words with selected documents, ephemera, and photographs drawn from the Nancy Ellison Collection at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library.