Columbus Museum of Art presents William Christenberry Photographs

Written by Elsie Melancon Tuesday, 21 December 2010 22:41

Columbus, OH –The Columbus Museum of Art presents William Christenberry Photographs, 1961 – 2005 on view January 16 through May 10, 2009. Along with such masters as William Eggleston and Stephen Shore, William Christenberry is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of color photography. His photographic exploration of the American South has been ongoing for forty years, drawing inspiration from Walker Evans, and paralleling the work of international practitioners like Bernd and Hilla Becher, all the while influencing a generation of emerging photographers.

Ranging from his Brownie photographs of the early 1960s to his later work with a large-format camera, William Christenberry: Photographs, 1961—2005 is a survey of this artist’s poetic documentation of southern vernacular architecture, signage, and landscape. Coupling never-before-seen photographs, both old and new, with images that are now iconic, the exhibition comprises fifty vintage photographic works and one sculpture, and, in turn, conveys the breadth of his unprecedented project and singular photographic vision. This exhibition is organized by Aperture, Inc.

“Christenberry’s elegiac photographs touch on universal themes of time, memory, and loss,” said Catherine Evans, CMA Chief Curator. “They are also an homage to the American South, where he returns annually to record everyday vestiges of his beloved region.”

Christenberry has been a professor at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, Washington, D.C. since 1968. He is world renowned for his photography, sculpture, drawings, and paintings that pay tribute to his roots in rural Alabama. His work can be found in many private and public collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.; the Museum of Modern Art in New York; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Columbus Foundation and the Greater Columbus Arts Council provide ongoing support. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this exhibition with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Museum and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm and until 8:30 pm every Thursday.  For additional information, call 614-221-4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.