Despite the horrible drive, my trip to the Addison Gallery of American Art was well worth it! As wonderful as the Robert Frank and Todd Webb: Across America, 1955 show was, it was the sister show A Long Arc: Photography and the American South Since 1845 that turned out to be the real surprise! I’ll cut to the chase; it was a stunner!!!
Here is a partial list of the great photographers who’s images were represented in this tour de force of all things American South: William Henry Jackson, Louse Hine, Walker Evans, Dorthea Lange, Mike Disfarmer, Margaret Bourke-White, Emmet Gowin, Arthur Rothstein, Russell Lee, Edward Weston, Clarence John Laughlin, Eudora Welty, Louise Dahl-Wolf, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Marion Post Wolcott, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, Danny Lyon, Leonard Freed, Gordon Parks, Elliott Erwitt, Bruce Davidson, Harry Benson, Diane Arbus, Burk Uzzle, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Sally Mann, Alex Webb, William Eggleston, William Christenberry, and Nicholas Nixon.
I think you get the picture … no pun intended!
There were Ambrotypes and Albumen prints, Cyanotypes, Platinum and Silver Gelatin prints, Chloride and Chromogenic prints, Chromolithographs and more. The vast majority of prints were black and white, but there were also a number of color prints as you might imagine. As we marched closer to the present time many of the prints of course got larger. But in the case of this show large print sizes were not masquerading mediocre work!
There are a number of reviews online so you can get much more analysis of this huge and diverse star studded show. But suffice to say it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while … and that says a lot! In a way I was glad to have a long ride home to think about all of it. The Robert Frank, Todd Webb exhibit way easily grasped, but several hours into my drive I still could not fully get my head wrapped around all I saw … and experienced.
Like the Robert Frank, Todd Webb show, A Long Arc: Photography and the American South Since 1845 closed at the Addison Gallery on July 31st. I don’t know if it is currently showing, but I see it will open on October 5th at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. I’ll be visiting my grandchildren there around that time. Maybe I’ll go see it again if they let me!
Stay well,
Michael