Francois Deschamps American, b. 1946

Francois Deschamps, raised bilingually in New York City, traveled independently to France at age 11, an early experience that foreshadowed his lifelong engagement with travel and cross-cultural exploration. Initially pursuing a Ph.D. in topology, he shifted to art with the encouragement of a mentor, bringing an analytical perspective to his creative practice. His work, often characterized by conceptual rigor and formal experimentation, explores the complexities of multiculturalism through humor, pathos, and layered narrative. 

Deschamps is a photographer and book artist who teaches photography and related media at the State University of New York at New Paltz. His work, centered on travel and cultural interaction, has been published by institutions such as the Visual Studies Workshop, Nexus Press, and the University of Auckland. His photographs and artist books are held in major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts, and has participated in residencies and international programs, including a Fulbright fellowship to Mali in 2010–11.