More than any other art form, photography frames our cultural yens and yearnings, demons and conflicts. Its ability to seize an instant or contemplate the effects of time make it an ideal agent of expression. Naturally this season, politics is everywhere. Photography exhibits in museums and galleries alike reflect a festering polarization that is not only societal, but personal: a longing to recapture the past versus a desire to confront gnarly current issues. Idealism vs. reality. Classics vs. controversies. As you’ll see, both can be riveting, especially when they offer an historical perspective on imagery or photographers who were considered groundbreaking in their day. Here are my top picks for September photography shows in the greater Boston region, organized geographically.
DOWNTOWN & BACK BAY
“Stan, 1959” by Imogen Cunningham (American, 1883–1976) The Lane Collection at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston © The Imogen Cunningham Trust. (Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – Discover the remarkable range of imagery by iconic West Coast photographer Immogen Cunningham, one of the founders of the influential Group f/64 with Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. On view now in the Herb Ritts Gallery through June 18, 2017. http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/imogen-cunningham-in-focus
“Barbara Mullen, New York, c. 1958” by Lillian Bassman (courtesy Robert Klein Gallery, Boston).
Robert Klein Gallery – Famed fashion photographer Lillian Bassman was one of the few women producing images for Harper’s Bazaar from 1940’s – 1960’s. Her unique aesthetic will be on view September 6 – October 29, 2016, with a reception on Saturday, September 10th from 2:30 – 5:00pm. http://www.robertkleingallery.com/exhibits.php
“Framework Houses, Industrial district of Siegen from 1959-1973,
1993″ by Bernd & Hilla Becher (courtesy of Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston).
Barbara Krakow Gallery – The late German husband-wife team, Bernd and Hilla Becher became famous for their typologies of industrial structures, which they liked to call “anonymous sculpture”, detailing the intricate relationships between form and function. Their intriguing and historically important work featuring buildings, along with related imagery by other artists, will be on view September 10 – October 15, 2016. http://www.barbarakrakowgallery.com/correspondences-2016
SOWA – BOSTON’S SOUTH END
“Providence Waste Water Treatment: Providence View, 2012” from the series Urban Turbines by Greer Muldowney (courtesy of the artist and Gallery Kayafas, Boston)
Gallery Kayafas – In her series Urban Turbines, Greer Muldowney explores the intersection of wind turbines, politico-economic incentives and social consequences. Jonathan Gitelson’s photographs of his billboard project Are You Here? is a metaphysical play on the ubiquitous and mundane “you are here” signage that permeates our world. Carla Maria Casagrande’s Seven Photographs of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin capture the political and cultural undercurrents of these controversial games held under Nazi supervision. All three exhibits will be on view from September 9 – October 15, 2016 with Artists’ Receptions on First Fridays, September 9th and October 7th from 5:30 – 8:00pm. http://www.gallerykayafas.com/
“Neighbors #11, 2012” by Arne Svenson (courtesy of the artist and Robert Klein Gallery, Boston)
Robert Klein Gallery at Ars Libri – Arne Svenson hits the mark on our cultural ambiguity regarding privacy in the digital age in his controversial and beautifully drawn series, The Neighbors, on view September 9 – October 30, 2016 with a reception on First Friday, September 9th from 5:30 – 7:30pm. http://www.robertkleingallery.com/exhibits.php
SOUTH BOSTON
“7 Rocks, 2015” by Smith Eliot (courtesy of the artist and 555 Gallery, Boston).
555 Gallery – Season-opening exhibit Visionaries features the works of photographers Walter Crump, Cynthia Katz and Smith Eliot, with accompanying sculptural work by Joe Caruso, on view from September 8 – October 22, 2016 with an Artists’ Reception on Saturday, September 17th from 5:00 – 8:00pm. http://www.555gallery.com/exhibitions/#/upcoming-exhibition-visionaries/
Installation view of the Liz Deschenes exhibit at ICA, Boston (photo courtesy of ICA, Boston).
Institute of Contemporary Art – Solo exhibits by Liz Deschenes and Nalini Malani perch at opposite ends of the “conceptual art” spectrum, on view through October 16, 2016. https://www.icaboston.org/exhibitions Read my review: https://whatwillyouremember.com/nalini-malani-and-liz-deschenes-at-ica-boston/
“WORTH THE TRIP!” REGIONAL EXHIBITS
Lunder Arts Center at Lesley University, Cambridge – In a blockbuster show, Lesley University will be the only Northeast site for a remarkable retrospective exhibit by the legendary Irving Penn, accompanied by a slew of programming events. On view from September 10 – November 19, 2016, with an Opening Reception and Curator Lecture on Tuesday, September 20th, starting at 5:00pm. http://irvingpenn.gotolesley.org/about-the-exhibit/
“Lake Louise Selfies” by Sheila McKinney (courtesy of the artist).
Somerville Toy Camera Festival (STCF) – One of my firm favorites, this year’s festival was curated by “alternative processes” guru Christopher James and is exhibiting in three venues throughout the month of September. Opening Receptions at the Nave Annex on Friday, September 9th from 6:00 – 8:00pm, at the Brickbottom Gallery on Saturday, September 10th from 4:00 – 6:00pm and at the Washington Street Art Center on Saturday, September 10th from 7:00 – 9:00pm. http://www.somervilletoycamera.org/exhibitions/
Camera Obscura image by Marian Roth (courtesy of the artist).
Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA – As part of the STCF, the Griffin Museum is exhibiting Marian Roth’s series The Mysterious World of the Camera Obscura in the Atelier Gallery from September 8 – October 2, 2016. Also starting on September 8th will be the installation of Roth’s camera obscura in the Griffin gallery. The installation will be up throughout the exhibition. The public is invited to observe the installation on September 8th beginning at noon. An opening reception will be held at the Griffin Museum on Thursday, September 15, 2016 from 5pm to 6:30pm. Marian Roth will give a talk on September 15, 2016 from 6:30 to 8pm. An RSVP is required. http://www.griffinmuseum.org/blog/griffin-atelier-gallery/
“Holderness Box Pews” from the series A Space for Faith: The Colonial Meetinghouses of New England by Paul Wainwright (courtesy of the artist).
The Griffin Museum at Digital Silver Imaging in Belmont, MA – The contemplative, large format, silver gelatin B&W photographs from Paul Wainwright’s series (and 2010 book) A Space for Faith: The Colonial Meetinghouses of New England, is featured in the Griffin Satellite Gallery at Digital Silver Imaging through September 30th, 2016. A free, public reception will take place on September 14, 2016 from 6:00 – 8:00pm. http://www.griffinmuseum.org/blog/the-griffin-museum-at-digital-silver-imaging/
“Sean Kelly Gallery” from the series Art Fare by Andy Freeberg (courtesy of the artist and Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA).
Clark Gallery in Lincoln, MA – Andy Freeberg deftly takes another humorous swipe at the art world with his series “Art Fare” wherein he muses “(At art fairs) I found the lighting, costumes and set designs excellent for photographing these living dioramas, where the art world plays itself.” On view September 6 – October 3, 2106. http://www.clarkgallery.com/exhibitions
“Albert Einstein, Princeton, NJ, 1938” by Lotte Jacobi (lent by Arlette and Gus Kayafas).
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA – There are only a couple of weeks left to see this delightful exhibit comparing the work of 20th Century trendsetting photographers Lotte Jacobi and Lisette Model, on view through September 18, 2016. http://www.decordova.org/art/exhibition/lotte-jacobi-lisette-model-urban-camera Read my review: https://whatwillyouremember.com/lotte-jacobi-lisette-model-decordova-museum-lincoln-ma/
“Winter Ledges, 2016” by Alexandra de Steiguer (courtesy of the artist, Pucker Gallery, Boston and PEM, Salem).
Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA (PEM) – Alexandra de Steiguer’s exquisite B&W photographs of the Isles of Shoals embellishes the exhibit and catalog of PEM’s featured exhibit of American impressionist painter Childe Hassam, on view through November 6, 2016. http://www.pem.org/exhibitions/192-american_impressionist_childe_hassam_and_the_isles_of_shoals#alone_on_an_island and http://connected.pem.org/alone-on-an-island/
“Mess Line, Camp Manzanar, 1943” by Ansel Adams (courtesy Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA).
Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA – As immigrant issues rage on our political scene today, it is especially poignant to view the little-known photographs Ansel Adams made in 1943 at Manzanar, a relocation camp for Japanese-Americans during WWII. The Addison recently acquired 50 of these images, on view through March 1, 2017. http://www.andover.edu/Museums/Addison/Exhibitions/Manzanar/Pages/default.aspx?in=On+View+Now#4
“Blistered, 2011” from the book/series Wild & Precious by Jesse Burke (courtesy of the artist, ClampArt, NYC and RISD Museum, Providence).
RISD Museum in Providence, R.I. –Wild & Precious, Jesse Burke’s chronicle of his daughter growing up with nature is a moving exploration of the ways in which we explore, confront and embrace our environment. On view just a few more weeks, through September 25, 2016. http://risdmuseum.org/art_design/exhibitions/97_jesse_burke_wild_precious Read my review of the inaugural exhibit of this show at ClampArt in NYC: https://whatwillyouremember.com/jesse-burke-wild-and-precious-at-clampart-nyc/
I would like to mention that this blogpost is not intended as a complete listing of the rich photographic offerings in and around Boston. For example, there are always noteworthy student, faculty and visiting exhibits at our region’s many educational institutions which I usually don’t cover. Please feel free to add any shows you’d like to bring to the community’s attention in the comments section below. Thank you for following my blog!
Feature Image: “Marlborough Gallery, Art Basel” (Detail) from the series Art Fare by Andy Freeberg (courtesy of the artist and Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA).
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