The Wisdom Bar-"Spirits of Photography:Photographing the Dead Brings Peace"

Expert-led lectures in bars and creative spaces across NYC.
About this Event

💡A smarter night out in NYC—fascinating speakers, craft beer, and real conversation. 💡

https://youtube.com/shorts/eK6wN_xbCf0?si=mWORZjQ5P5EAcq_i

🍻 Craft beer included with ticket!

Here's what to look forward to during this groundbreaking lecture:

If a photographer told you he could capture an image of your deceased loved one, would you believe him? In the 1860s, many people did. Hundreds believed photographers such as William Mumler could photograph ghosts, offering what seemed to be proof that communication with the spirit world was possible. However, spirit photography also had its critics. The famous showman P.T. Barnum was one of its most outspoken opponents and even testified at a trial to expose the practice as a fraud. Despite these accusations, many Victorians continued to believe in Mumler’s mysterious “ghosts.”
During the Victorian era, society had a deep fascination with death, and photography became a way to preserve the memory of those who had passed away. Families often commissioned and collected postmortem photographs of their deceased loved ones. At the same time, photographers like William Mumler and, later, William Hope claimed they could capture the spirits of the dead alongside the living. For people grieving their loved ones, these photographs seemed to offer not only a lasting image, but also the possibility of proof that the dead were still present in the spirit world.

JR Pepper is a photographer, lecturer, author, and cemetery tour guide whose work explores the intersections of art, history, death, and the macabre. She holds a BA and MA in Art History, specializing in Surrealism and the history of photography. Pepper has spent more than 20 years working in photography, image restoration, and digital imaging, and has lectured extensively on topics including spirit photography and Victorian mourning traditions. She is also an adjunct professor of art history at Brooklyn College and a tour guide at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Her books include Buried Boston: America’s Revolutionary Necropolis and Buried New Orleans: The Resilient Cemeteries of the Crescent City.

We'll explore:

• How early photographers convinced people of the possibility of the supernatural
• How people responded to such allegations
• Current examples of 'spirit' photography

This might be for you if you...

• Are curious about the supernatural fascination during the Victorian Era
• Are intrigued by examples of the art form of photography being used in unique ways across history
• Enjoy lecture-based and conversation-focused events of any kind — think Ted Talks in bars, Lectures on Tap, or micro learning meets dinner party
• Want to switch up your usual weeknight. Why not make it interesting? 🤓

Agenda

🕑: 06:30 PM
Doors Open
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Grab a Drink!
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:45 PM
Lecture Begins
🕑: 07:45 PM - 08:00 PM
Q&A
🕑: 08:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Meet the Speaker & Mingle