Ming Xia Smith: A Surreal Vision of American Identity Ming Xia Smith (born Detroit, United States of America in 1950) stands as a singular figure in contemporary African-American photography—a trailblazer who eschewed documentary realism for an intensely personal and symbolic exploration of experience. Her artistic journey began amidst the vibrant cultural landscape of Columbus, Ohio, where she pursued her undergraduate studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., focusing on microbiology before dedicating herself to the craft of visual storytelling. This formative period instilled a me…