January 11, 1986
Black and White Photographs: Recent Acquisitions, an exhibition of approximately 100 photographs acquired primarily in the 1980s for the Museum’s permanent collection, will be on view in the Print Gallery on the second floor from January 11 through February 17.
The exhibition includes a broad selection of work by more than fifty photographers, ranging from that of celebrated masters--such as two early vintage prints showing the lyrical realism of André Kertész and an example of Paul Strand’s pioneering straightforward photography from the 1920s--to recent work by young contemporary photographers who are just beginning to be shown in a museum setting, such as Steve Bamberg, Zeke Berman, George Forss, and Irwin Silver. The romantic style of late 19th-century Pictorialist photography is revealed in the lovely double portrait by Gertrude Käsebier. There are classic examples from documentary social photographers Lewis Hine, Arthur Rothstein, Walter Rosenbium, and Consuelo Kanaga. Summing up the 1950s and ‘60s are a muscle beach scene by Larry Silver and a shot of Janis Joplin seated on a stove by Sam Falk. From the 1970s come some memorable street portraits of women by Garry Winogrand and the bitter, incisive images of Danny Lyon and Larry Clark. Robert Giard and Todd Watts are represented by elegant, surrealistic photographs from the early 1980s.
Black and White Photographs: Recent Acquisitions is intended to serve as a microcosm of the various movements in photography, toward and away from social realism. In every case, the vision of the photographer remains purely personal, despite protestations to the contrary. Photographers are indeed influenced by one another, but through it all, the private and often mysterious statement remains to be deciphered. The public is invited to share these visions.
Curated by Barbara Head Millstein, Associate Curator, Department of Paintings and Sculpture, and Barry Walker, Associate Curator, Department of Prints and Drawings, this exhibition demonstrates the variety and strength of The Brooklyn Museum’s growing photography collection.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1971 - 1988. 1986, 003. View Original
