PMG Begins 2026 in a CBID Conversation with Matt Black

This month, we heard from Magnum photographer and MacArthur 'Genius' grant recipient, Matt Black, the first speaker in our 2026 DIG In series, which brings external voices into PMG to challenge assumptions, expand perspectives, and deepen cultural understanding. The speaker series, which launched in 2021, focuses on lived experience and real-world impact, offering space for reflection that connects personal stories to broader social realities.

This month and last, people in the U.K. and the U.S. have been engaged in efforts to raise awareness about poverty. It was in that spirit that we welcomed Matt to share his work documenting poverty across the United States, including scenes from towns and cities where economic hardship shapes daily life. Empty storefronts. Quiet streets. Objects left behind. Each image reflected systems at work and the people living within them.

Through his powerful photos, Matt reframed how poverty is commonly understood, presenting it as widespread and structural, rather than isolated or temporary. He has traveled extensively across the country, spending years photographing places where a significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line. In the Q&A after his talk, Matt spoke to the responsibility that comes with documenting these realities, and reinforced a clear takeaway for the audience: Awareness begins with attention.

Thank you for sharing your powerful images with us, Matt, and inspiring our team to move beyond abstraction and towards action.