Picture yourself at the Taft for historic photo exhibition
TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, traces the rise of photography to a respected fine art form
To download images from this exhibition, please visit http://www.taftmuseum.org/pages/tb_img.php.
TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945
May 22-August 8, 2010
Explore the evolution of photography from a tool of documentation to a respected fine art form through the works in the exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, which opens at the Taft Museum of Art on Saturday, May 22.
The photographs of the pictorialist movement are among the most spectacular works in the medium's history. The works in TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, rival paintings with expertly crafted, one-of-a-kind images. Included are works from the George Eastman House by Julia Margaret Cameron, Frederick Evans, Alfred Stieglitz, Clarence White and Edward Steichen and early works by Edward Weston and Ansel Adams.
"Today we have no problem recognizing photography as an art form," says Lynne Ambrosini, the chief curator at the Taft. "But in its early days in the mid-19th century, before photography found acceptance, most photographers tried to make photos that looked like paintings, with romantic subjects staged in softly atmospheric settings, full of poetry or mystery."
When photography was invented in the early part of the 19th century, most people considered it a faddish mechanical trick, far from fine art. Some early photographers, however, sought to elevate the medium to the status of painting by emulating the compositions, symbols, visual effects and moods of painting. Photographers also used pre- and post-exposure techniques such as soft focus, darkroom manipulation and even scratching the photograph or negative with fine needles.
During the opening weekend of TruthBeauty, the Taft will celebrate International Museum Day. Admission to the Museum will be free on Saturday, May 22, the first day this exhibition is open to the public. The Museum will offer tours of the special exhibition at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. and a tour of the permanent collection with Director/CEO Deborah Emont Scott at 2:30 p.m. Memberships to the Taft will be available for a "pay what you can" rate on that day (new members only). Since Sunday is the Taft's free day, admission to the opening weekend of TruthBeauty will be free to the public.
Tracing this influential vein of photography, TruthBeauty includes vintage masterpieces from well-known photographers including Alvin Langdn Coburn, F. Holland Day, Robert Demachy, Gertrude Käsebier and Heinrich Kühn. Also featured are surprising early works by Imogene Cunningham, Adams, and Weston, who are widely known as modernists but began as pictorialists.
"Once modernism came to the fore in the 20th century, the old pictorialist photographs met with scorn. In recent decades, however," Ambrosini says, "they have been rediscovered with delight, and yes, they are most certainly Art with a capital A."
TruthBeauty features 116 photographs, which range from late-19th-century portraits and landscapes to later modernist architectural studies and still lifes. This exhibition explores a number of themes, including a look at precursors of pictorialism, photographic journals, women in pictorialism and print processes.
This is a smaller version of the exhibition by the same name produced by the Vancouver Art Gallery. Both versions were curated by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, from which the works in the exhibition were selected.
Free Sundays are made possible through a grant from The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation so everyone can explore the historic collection, see traveling exhibitions and enjoy this Tristate landmark at no cost.
Programs and Events
Tour: Lytle Park in Black and White with Melvin Grier and Cate O'Hara
Friday, June 4, 1-3 p.m.
Put on your walking shoes and strap on your camera for a look at cityscapes old and new. Associate Curator of Public Programs Cate O'Hara and photojournalist Melvin Grier will lead a short exploration of the city views in the exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, followed by a tour of the buildings that make up the Lytle Park neighborhood, from the 1820 Baum-Taft House to the unfinished Great American Tower. Participants should bring a camera to capture the architectural details and juxtapositions that make the neighborhood vibrant. Shutterbugs can share their photographs online to compare how cropping, light, shadow, color and camera angle can alter a view.
Cost for this program is $5 for members, $13 for nonmembers (includes Museum admission). Advance paid registration is required. Call (513) 684-4515 or register online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Gallery Talks: TruthBeauty
Take an insider's look at the special exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, and the permanent collections of the Taft. These programs take place in the galleries in front of the works of art and require walking and standing for approximately one hour.
With Lynne Ambrosini, chief curator
Saturday, June 5, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, June 11, 1:30 p.m.
With Jymi Bolden, photographer
Thursday, July 1, 1:30 p.m.
With Tamera Muente, curatorial assistant and exhibitions coordinator
Saturday, July 17, 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 5, 1:30 p.m.
Cost for these programs is FREE with Museum admission. Reservations are required. Call (513) 684-4515 or register online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Families Create!: Photo Fun in the Sun
Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Visit the exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, and use the sun's light to create unique photographs. Explore the world of art through gallery visits and activities designed for children ages 5-12 with an adult to learn, create, interact, and have fun together.
Cost for each program is $8 for members and Cincinnati Arts Association members, $12 for nonmembers (includes Museum admission). Reservations are required. Call (513) 684-4524 or order online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Sponsor: Charles H. Dater Foundation; Weston Art Gallery Families Create! Sponsor: Whitney and Phillip Long; Fine Arts Fund Partner: Duke Energy Corp.
Shutterbugs in Cinema: Motion Pictures and Still Photographers
Inspired by the exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, enjoy three classic films in different genres. Each explores how life and art intersect through the lens of the still photographer as leading man. Cincinnati Public Radio film critic Larry Thomas will introduce each movie and lead a discussion afterward. The exhibition will be open until each film begins at 6 p.m. Optional box dinner is available with advance purchase.
June 24, 6 p.m.-Rear Window, 1954
July 8, 6 p.m.-Funny Face, 1957
July 22, 6 p.m.-The Bridges of Madison County, 1995
These movies are free, with an optional box dinner available for $12, with advance purchase required. Reservations are recommended. Call (513) 684-4515 or order online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Teen Studio Workshop: Digital Photography
Saturday, June 26, 1-3 p.m.
Learn ways to enhance your photographs and find out about editing software. Participants will visit the special exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, and take photographs using elements of composition and other techniques seen in the exhibition. Following a critique session, participants will learn how the editing software Picasa can improve their final images.
Cost for this program is $40 for members, $65 for nonmembers. Reservations are required. Call (513) 684-4524 or order online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Fine Arts Fund Partner: The Cincinnati Insurance Company
Adult Studio Workshop: Digital Photography
Sunday, July 11, 1-3 p.m.
Bring a fully charged digital camera, a blank memory card, a card reader and your imagination! Instructor Lisa Britton is a professional photographer who teaches at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
Cost for this program is $40 for members, $65 for nonmembers. Reservations are required. Call (513) 684-4524 or order online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Fine Arts Fund Partner: The Cincinnati Insurance Company
Lecture: Seeing but Not Believing: The Creative Artist and Photography by Dennis Kiel
Thursday, July 15, 7 p.m.
Dennis Kiel looks at a select group of pictorialist photographers and their attempt to establish photography as art, or, to quote Alfred Stieglitz, the father of American photography, "to compel its recognition . . . as a distinct medium of individual expression." Kiel is chief curator at the Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film in Charlotte, NC, and formerly associate curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The exhibition TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, will remain open until the lecture begins.
Cost for this program is FREE for members and students, $10 for the public (includes exhibition admission). Reservations are recommended. Call (513) 684-4515 or order online at www.taftmuseum.org.
Sponsor: Stanley and Frances D. Cohen Lecture Series
Picture It: A Festival of Photography
Sunday, August 8, 12-4 p.m.
Experience the world of photography-from historic daguerreotypes to digital media-when the Taft Museum of Art transforms its garden and galleries for a celebration of photography. Look for demonstrations, photo-op scavenger hunt, hands-on activities, tours of TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, vendors, food and performances.
This program is FREE. No reservations are taken. For information, call (513) 684-4515.
Sponsor: Charles H. Dater Foundation; Fine Arts Fund Partner: Enquirer Media. Organized in cooperation with Stout & Gallant Associates, Inc.
For reservations and more information visit www.taftmuseum.org.
FACT SHEET
TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945
May 22-August 8, 2010
Organized by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film
Number of Works 130
Media 116 photographs, 14 publications
Major Artists Julia Margaret Cameron, F. Holland Day, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Gertrude Käsebier, Clarence White, Alvin Langdon Coburn, Imogen Cunningham, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams
Subjects Still lifes, portraits, figures, images of women, landscapes, cityscapes
Some Major Themes Precursors of Pictorialism
Rise of Pictorialism
Photographic Journals
Women in Pictorialism
Print Processes
Connections to the Taft The Pictorialists sought to elevate photography to the same status as painting, drawing and watercolor. They emulated popular styles of painting through the use of a variety of photographic techniques, including soft focus, dramatic light effects and bold technical experimentation. Many of the photographs resemble the styles of 19th-century landscapes and portraits in the Taft collection. The time period of the exhibition generally mirrors the range of 19th-century works in the Taft collection.
Exhibition Venues Vancouver Art Gallery, February 2-April 27 2008 (modified version)
George Eastman House, February 2-June 20, 2009 (modified version)
McNay Art Museum, February 3-May 2, 2010
The Taft Museum of Art, May 21-August 8, 2010
The Phillips Collection, October 9, 2010-January 9, 2011
The Taft Museum of Art is at 316 Pike St., in downtown Cincinnati. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and free for children under 18. Call 513-241-0343 or visit the website at www.taftmuseum.org for additional information.
The Taft Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
The Taft Museum of Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is affiliated with the Association of Midwest Museums and the Ohio Museums Association.
Mission Statement
The Taft Museum of Art welcomes people of every background to experience world-renowned collections in a beautiful historic house. Through its innovative exhibitions, programs, and activities, the Museum creates opportunities for enjoyment and discovery.
Diversity Statement
The Taft Museum of Art respects the dignity of all people and values what each member of our team brings to the organization. Accordingly, the Museum is committed to building an inclusive environment that welcomes and values diversity. This includes our staff, board of directors, volunteers and visitors. As an organization we recognize the importance of attracting and retaining talented people of different backgrounds. We understand how a diverse work team of staff, board of directors and volunteers benefits our organization by enabling us to draw upon a richness of resources. We want all our team members to feel appreciated for their uniqueness, so we work to foster an environment that provides everyone equal access to information and opportunities. This ensures that each person learns, grows, excels and maximizes his or her personal contributions. The Museum will thus be able to tap into a greater wealth of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences to develop and deliver programs and services to an increasingly diverse audience.
Contact: Tricia Suit
Marketing and Communications Manager
(513) 684-4526, tsuit@taftmuseum.org
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