Exhibition Review: Sotheby’s | Pier 24 Pilara Family Collection

Written by Wenjie (Demi) Zhao 

Photo Edited by Haley Winchell 

Copy Edited by Kee’nan Haggen 

Step into a world of unparalleled vision and depth as Sotheby’s presents the Pier 24 Pilara Family Collection, one of the most comprehensive assemblages of 20th-century and post-war photography. For over a decade, Pier 24 Photography has provided a venue for  photographers, educators, collectors, and curators to share photographic works and ideas.  Now, two decades later, the Pilara Family Foundation Collection will be unveiled through a  dedicated sales series at Sotheby’s, estimated to reach over $15 million.  

Garry Winogrand, New York (from The Animals), circa 1963. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

The preview will open to public for free from April 27 to April 30, immerse yourself in the  history and evolution of modern art and photography — ranging from an 1877 panorama of  San Francisco to a complete set of Garry Winogrand’s The Animals from the 1960s, and everything in between — as you explore this  unrivaled survey of American photographers. From May 1 to May 2, the Evening and Day Sales  at Sotheby’s New York will feature 200 lots from many of the greatest voices in 20th-century  photography and contemporary artists who continue to push the medium's boundaries into exciting new territory. 

Wolfgang Tillmans, summer still life, 1995. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936 printed 1940s. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

Dorothea Lange, Migratory Cotton Picker, Eloy, Arizona, 1940 printed 1940s. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

The Collection offers a breathtaking glimpse into the power of photography and image making, exemplifying the best of the medium’s ability to transcend documentation. Portraiture  constitutes over 50% of the collection, and there is incredible richness in the deep holdings of FSA era works by Dorothea Lange. 

Lee Friedlander, Florida (from The Little Screens), 1963. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s.

Robert Adams, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1968 printed 1995. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

Robert Frank, Charleston, South Carolina, 1955. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s.

Stephen Shore, Breakfast, Trails End Restaurant, Kanab, Utah, August 10, 1973, 1973. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

The depth and unparalleled quality of the Collection are conveyed through an extraordinary  range of subjects: television screens glowing in fifty-two empty rooms (Lee Friedlander); an  isolated tract home in a Colorado subdivision (Robert Adams); a white baby cradled in the arms  of their African American nurse in South Carolina (Robert Frank); and a breakfast of cantaloupe  and pancakes, amidst other scenes of daily life from small towns and cities across the United  States (Stephen Shore). There are also superlative works by contemporary artists such as LaToya  Ruby Frazier, Alec Soth, Katy Grannan, Richard Learoyd, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hank Willis Thomas,  Wolfgang Tillmans, Christopher Williams, and others, showcasing a diverse range of artists and  voices. 

Hiroshi Sugimoto, The Music Lesson, 1999. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

The Evening Sale, in particular, is curated to reflect some of the most unique and rare bodies of  work produced since the mid-20th century. The Evening Sale will feature 56 lots by many of the greatest voices in 20th-century photography as well as artists currently pushing the boundaries  of the medium into exciting new territory, including but not limited to: Richard Avedon, Lee  Friedlander, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Garry Winogrand, Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, and Nicholas  Nixon, with sales ranging from $250,000 to $700,000. With a focus on portraiture, American  color photography, and the industrial landscape, the sales highlight the various ways the  Collection conveys a kaleidoscopic view of contemporary American life. 

However, the Pilara Family Foundation Collection is more than just a survey of American  photographers. It is a testament to Andy Pilara and Mary Pilara’s dedication to sharing these  photographs with the public and offering educational opportunities. In July 2025, the Pilara  Family Foundation will pivot its philanthropic focus, transitioning from an operating foundation  to a granting foundation. All proceeds will be directed to charitable initiatives in healthcare  research, education, and the arts—philanthropy and giving back to the community. 

Abelardo Morell, Camera Obscura View of the San Francisco Bay Bridge Inside a Pier 24 Interior, 2012. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

Katy Grannan, Anonymous, Los Angeles, 2008 printed 2009. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s. 

As you explore the Collection, you’ll discover a thematic throughline that reveals a vision of  America encapsulated by multiple generations of artists, spanning decades, geography, and  backgrounds. With Andy Pilara's singular vision in bringing them together, the Collection  presents an opportunity to explore not only its comprehensive quality but also the threads and  narratives that connect artist to artist. 

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the Pier 24 Pilara Family  Collection at Sotheby’s. Let these photographs' emotional intensity and visceral power  consume you as you step into a world of unparalleled vision and depth. As photographer Neil  Selkirk once said, “Photography, like food, should be consumed through the gut.” 

Special thanks to Sotheby’s Communications Manager Zoe Malliaros and Sotheby’s Global  Head of Photographers Emily Bierman for their dedication and details mentioned in this article. 

For more information, visit Sotheby’s website.

Christopher Williams, Rollerstacker, Manufacturer The Kaynar Company, Los Angeles, CA, 90054. Date of production 1975. Vancouver, BC, April 6, 2005. Courtesy of the Pilara Family Foundation Collection and Sotheby’s.