The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City has always been at the forefront of contemporary art, and its commitment to photography is no exception. In 2018, MoMA's Department of Photography presented a series of exhibitions and installations that not only showcased the medium's rich history but also explored its evolving role in the digital age. This article delves into the key highlights of MoMA's photography program in 2018.
Reimagining the Collection: A New Installation
Kicking off the year, MoMA unveiled a reinstallation of its photography collection, reflecting the museum's ongoing commitment to rethinking and expanding its narrative. The new installation, titled "Photography's Last Century," spanned the medium's history from the 1840s to the present day. It offered a fresh perspective on photography's evolution, highlighting its diverse forms and functions across cultures and time.
Jasper Johns: "Something Resembling Truth"
In early 2018, MoMA presented "Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth," a comprehensive retrospective of the artist's work in photography and related media. The exhibition explored Johns' lifelong engagement with photography, from his early experiments with the medium in the 1960s to his most recent works. It also delved into his use of photography as a source of inspiration and a means of exploring themes such as perception, memory, and the passage of time.
Sally Mann: "A Thousand Crossings"
Later in the year, MoMA featured "Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings," a mid-career survey of the renowned American photographer. The exhibition traced Mann's career from the 1970s to the present, showcasing her distinctive approach to photography and her exploration of themes such as family, place, and mortality. Highlights included her iconic series "Battlefields," which documented the scars of the American Civil War, and her powerful portraits of her children, which challenged traditional notions of childhood and family.
New Photography 2018
MoMA's annual "New Photography" series returned in 2018, presenting the work of seven artists who were pushing the boundaries of the medium in innovative and unexpected ways. The exhibition, titled "Being: New Photography 2018," explored the theme of self-portraiture, both literal and metaphorical, and its role in contemporary photography. Artists included in the exhibition ranged from established figures such as Rineke Dijkstra and Thomas Ruff to emerging talents such as B. Ingrid Olson and Anicka Yi.
Exploring Identity and Self-Representation
The artists in "New Photography 2018" employed a wide range of techniques and approaches to explore the complex and multifaceted nature of identity in the 21st century. Some, like Dijkstra, used photography to examine the ways in which we present ourselves to the world, while others, like Ruff, used the medium to question the very notion of the self. Still others, like Olson and Yi, used photography to explore the intersections of identity, gender, and race in contemporary culture.
A Global Perspective
In keeping with MoMA's commitment to presenting a diverse and global perspective on photography, "New Photography 2018" featured artists from around the world. Alongside established figures from the United States and Europe, the exhibition included work by artists from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, offering a rich and complex portrait of contemporary photography on a global scale.
MoMA's Photography Collection: A Closer Look
Throughout 2018, MoMA also offered visitors the opportunity to engage more deeply with its renowned photography collection through a series of installations and displays. These included "Contact Warhol: Photography without End," which explored the relationship between photography and Andy Warhol's iconic Pop Art, and "The Medium of Light," which delved into the history and evolution of photographic processes and technologies.
A History of Innovation
These installations and displays highlighted MoMA's commitment to collecting and preserving not just great photographs, but also the history and technology of the medium itself. From the earliest daguerreotypes to the latest digital innovations, MoMA's photography collection tells the story of photography's ongoing evolution and its central role in contemporary culture.
In 2018, MoMA's photography program offered a rich and diverse exploration of the medium's history, its evolving role in contemporary culture, and its potential for innovation and experimentation. From retrospectives of established artists to exhibitions of emerging talent, MoMA's photography program in 2018 was a testament to the medium's enduring power and relevance.
