This fall, Principia College will host Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other, a globally recognized multimedia exhibition by photographer, author, and storyteller Daniel K. Epstein and curated by Gina Alicea. Open to the public from October 1 through December 1, the exhibition will be displayed across Principia College’s Marshall Brooks Library and Radford Hall.
Created over the course of 25 years, Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other features the stories of more than 500 individuals from 30 countries who were interviewed about their spiritual journeys. Through striking black-and-white portraits and accompanying video interviews, the exhibition invites visitors to move beyond assumptions and labels and engage with the deeply personal experiences that shape people's lives, beliefs, and understanding of the world.
Each portrait includes a QR code linking visitors to an in-depth video interview, creating opportunities for meaningful listening and reflection. What began as a project about collecting stories evolved into a project about listening, an experience Epstein describes as a pathway to understanding, connection, and healing.
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns praised Epstein’s exhibition, calling it a work of "power and dignity" marked by "implicit compassion and yet unblinking eye."
"Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other invites us to move beyond assumptions and engage with the stories, experiences, and humanity of others,” said Principia’s Director of Spiritual Life and College Chaplain Roger Gordon. "The exhibition encourages visitors to encounter perspectives different from their own while discovering the common ground that connects us all. Those are experiences we strive to create for our students every day."
At Principia College, those opportunities for exploration and dialogue extend beyond the classroom. Through academic programs, spiritual life initiatives, service opportunities, and intercultural engagement, students from all backgrounds are encouraged to explore questions of meaning, purpose, faith, and identity while developing the understanding, respect, and compassion needed to engage thoughtfully across differences.
"Some of the most meaningful conversations happen when we take the time to genuinely listen to someone else's story," said Natalea Clark, a Principia College student and Interfaith Fellow in the Spiritual Life Office. "I hope this exhibit encourages curiosity, empathy, and deeper connections by helping us see the person behind a belief and recognize how much we can learn from one another."
Originally developed as an educational exhibition in partnership with the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other has been featured at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and presented to international interfaith audiences, including the Vatican in October 2025. The project has also built a substantial online following, generating more than 630,000 YouTube views and engaging thousands of followers around the world.
"Throughout this project, I've learned that listening is one of the most powerful acts of love and understanding available to us," said Epstein. "When we truly listen to another person's story, especially someone we may initially perceive as different from ourselves, barriers begin to dissolve and connection becomes possible."
Visitors to the exhibition will encounter portraits representing a wide range of faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. Together, the collection offers a compelling invitation to consider how spiritual experience shapes human lives and how listening can create bridges across differences.
Exhibition Information
Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other
October 1–December 1, 2026
Marshall Brooks Library and Radford Hall
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois
The exhibition is free and open to the public during regular library hours and from 8 a.m.–8 p.m. in Radford Hall. To schedule a group visit, please reach out to Heather Holmes at [email protected].
About Daniel K. Epstein
DANIEL K. EPSTEIN earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a B.A. in Business Administration/Accounting from Georgia State University. An entrepreneur, consultant, author, and photographer, Daniel created Portraits in Faith, an exploration of beliefs held by over 500 individuals in 30 countries. He also created the Portraits in Faith Foundation, LLC, as a nonprofit to promote the idea that there is no “other.” The nonprofit supports programs such as “sacred listening” in schools, prisons, and other communities of concerned citizens.
About Gina Alicea
GINA ALICEA is a licensed spiritual practitioner through the Centers for Spiritual Living, and a minister, Gina obtained an MFA from Northern Illinois University, an M.Ed. from DePaul University, and an Interfaith Ministry degree from Emerson Theological Institute. Also an artist, and educator, Gina is the director of the Corvus Gallery on campus at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Gina created the Portraits in Faith: Seeing the Other exhibition in 2022 and serves as curator for future exhibitions around the world.
