ICP at 50: From the Collection, 1845–2019
Yto Barrada, Fille en rouge jouant aux osselets (Girl in red playing jacks), 1999, International Center of Photography, Purchase, with funds provided by Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz, 2007 (2007.7.1) © Yto Barrada, Courtesy Pace Gallery
Written by Max Wiener
Photo Edited by Kelly Woodyard
At fifty years old, New York’s International Center for Photography is to be celebrated as one of the pillars of the medium of photography. As an institution, ICP has done an indescribable amount to preserve and display the voices sharing the story of photography. ICP at 50: From the Collection: 1845-2019 is a fantastically overarching exhibition highlighting several of the gallery’s impressive collections. It ranges across styles and centuries, with a focus on ____. One element that the series shows is that photography is a ever-evolving form. This reveals not only how we began, but how far we have to go. The series opened on January 24th, with a scheduled closing date of May 6th.
Helen Levitt, New York, 1980, International Center of Photography, Purchase with funds provided by the ICP Acquisitions Committee, 2008 © Film Documents LLC, Courtesy Zander Galerie, Cologne.
The time-span that this exhibition encompasses is truly remarkable. It places it as an “epic”, thought-provoking category of artistic presentation. Some of the earliest known photographs are displayed, showing viewers how raw and infantile the technology was. Moreover, it shows the exactness of photography, and how we take advantage of the tools at our reach. In 1845, a photograph was an event, while now it’s as simple as taking out our phones and capturing a moment. Doing so draws us away from authenticity and subsequent introspection. A photograph can tell a story, and some of ICP’s earliest showcases help solve questions relating to our current zeitgeist. Mainly, are we losing our touch with our current world by being glued to technology? Has our world changed for better or for worse because of it? Each question is worth consideration.
Wedge, Peter Bull as Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky on the set of “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” International Center of Photography, Bequest of Wilma Wilcox, 1993 (7553, 1993) © Getty Images/International Center of Photography
From the Collection is a story told by so many distinctive voices in photography, each serving as an individual piece of the puzzle. Walking through the exhibition itself may feel overwhelming at times. Yet, what it shows is that each of us have a voice worthy of hearing- no matter how quirky or singular. It may appear that there are no similarities between a Robert Capa and Mickalene Thomas photograph, but at ICP they play off of each other so well that we search for overlap. The voices of photography sing in harmony, each striking a perfect note deepening the chord. It firmly plants each photographer in the medium’s story, despite not being the world’s most famous artist. As seen here, art’s beauty is that it doesn’t have to be mainstream to be impactful. Several lesser-known artists in the series' works serve as miniature focal points throughout. Each grounds the series, while speaking just as loudly as the icons. It is impressive to see them interact with each other.
Deana Lawson, Mama Goma, Gemena, DR Congo, 2014, International Center of Photography, Purchase, with funds provided by ICP Acquisitions Committee, 2019 (2019.18.1) © Deana Lawson, Courtesy of the artist and Gagosian
One should recognize that photography, like anything else on Earth, is still evolving. Perhaps on ICP’s 100th anniversary, we can look back on this as a funny benchmark of photography’s previous form. In viewing each photograph, it can only be inferred that the future is as bright as a flash bulb.
Gordon Parks, Invisible Man Retreat, Harlem, New York, 1952, International Center of Photography, The LIFE Magazine Collection, 2005 (1696, 2005) Courtesy and © The Gordon Parks Foundation
