was born in Ithaca, New York, and studied Art and Art History. He holds the E.C. Chadbourne Chair for Art History, Theory and Critique at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. His publications revolve around the history and theory of the picture in art, science and nature. His recent publications include What Photography Is, a critical engagement with Roland Barthes' Camera Lucida, and Art Critiques: A Guide. His current projects include texts in the field of experimental non-fiction and experimental fiction.