Chris Aluka Berry Named 2026 Guggenheim Fellow for Affrilachia Photography
Chris Aluka Berry, a documentary photographer from Marshall, North Carolina, has been named a Guggenheim Fellow for 2026. The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation recently announced its latest group of fellows, which includes 223 people from 55 different fields, selected from nearly 5,000 applicants. Berry is among 19 photographers in this cohort. He found out about the honor through an email early one morning and was so shocked that he shouted his girlfriend Maia's name. Established in 1925, the fellowship offers support for artists to pursue their work freely. Berry aims to enhance his Affrilachia project with a new segment and also work on a personal project called 'Beyond.' His upcoming book, 'Affrilachia: Testimonies,' showcases Black communities in Appalachia. Berry, who is biracial, grew up in the South and has won South Carolina News Photographer of the Year four times. His work is part of collections at prominent institutions like the Smithsonian. This fellowship means he can focus on his art without the stress of financial constraints. After five applications over a decade, he finally achieved this recognition.
Key facts
- Chris Aluka Berry was named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow.
- The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced 223 fellows across 55 disciplines from nearly 5,000 applicants.
- Berry is one of 19 photographers in the 2026 class.
- He plans to expand his Affrilachia project with 'Affrilachia: Generations,' covering Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
- His first book, 'Affrilachia: Testimonies,' was published by University Press of Kentucky in 2024.
- Berry spent six years photographing Black communities in Appalachia.
- He previously worked at The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, and was named South Carolina News Photographer of the Year four times.
- His photographs are in permanent collections including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the High Museum of Art.
Entities
Artists
- Chris Aluka Berry
- Edward Hirsch
- Frank X Walker
- Aaron Bryant
- Greg Harris
- Stacy Kranitz
- Bill Turner
- Robert Frank
- Eugene Richards
- Alex Webb
- Rebecca Webb
- Marie Cochran
- Ann Miller Woodford
- Chuck Dye
- Kelly Elaine Navies
- Maia Surdam
- Frank Berry
- Maia
- Myra Haynes
- William 'Tank' Coward
- Bessie Smith Carter
- Timmy Joe Jenkins
- B.C. Mance
- Leah Moore
- Dominic Moore
- Myowne Moats
- Kaydra Jackson
- Richiyah Jackson
- Nyshyne Frieson
- Amara Leak
- Sinan Gonul
- Alona Gonul
- Simon Guggenheim
Institutions
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
- University Press of Kentucky
- The State
- Reuters
- NPR
- The Los Angeles Times
- The New York Times
- Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Asheville Art Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia
- High Museum of Art
- University of Georgia Press
- Highlander Research and Education Center
- We Shall Overcome Fund
- Black in Appalachia
- Affrilachian Artist Project
- Lenscratch
- Time
- The Atlantic
- Wired
- MoMA
- Whitney Museum of American Art
Locations
- Cleveland
- Georgia
- United States
- North Carolina
- Appalachian Mountains
- American South
- Columbia
- South Carolina
- Atlanta
- Alabama
- West Virginia
- Tennessee
- Sylva
- Murphy
- Texana
- Dunmore
- Marshall
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- New York
- Huntington
- Charleston
- Jonesborough
- Houston
- Texas
- Muiden
- Netherlands
- Las Vegas
- Nevada
- Black Mountain
- Toccoa