By Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy
It is a spectacular time of year to enjoy spooky sights, colorful leaves and photography shows in New England! Our October Best Photo Picks brings you the most noteworthy exhibitions and events around metro Boston and New England. As always, we present our selections by geographic region for your planning convenience. Please feel free to check back throughout the month for new listings and updates!
BOSTON PROPER
“Fall light on the meadow” by Barbara Bosworth, 2003, from the series The Meadow, inkjet print, courtesy of the artist and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, © Barbara Bosworth.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA, Boston) – During her long career, photographer and naturalist Barbara Bosworth has created a trilogy of seminal projects devoted to The Meadow, The Heavens, and The Sea. In The Meadow, Bosworth, her large-format camera, and writer friend Margot Anne Kelley chronicled a meadow in Carlisle, Massachusetts over 15 years at different times of day and in all seasons. In the large-scale photographs on exhibit, Bosworth’s incessant curiosity, detailed observations and sense of belonging to the environment invite viewers to share her visceral and spiritual connections. The Meadow will be on view in the museum’s Herb Ritts Gallery through December 1st, 2024.
To read our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/barbara-bosworth-the-meadow-at-museum-of-fine-arts-boston/
For more information, go to: https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/barbara-bosworth-the-meadow
Mary Ellen Mark, Édouard Manet & Mickalene Thomas exhibits at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – This fall, the museum is focusing on family, with late photographer Mary Ellen Mark’s A Seattle Family 1983-2014, Mickalene Thomas’ outdoor installation photograph of her mother “Sandra, She’s A Beauty” and painter Édouard Manet: A Model Family, on view from October 10th, 2024 – January 20th, 2025, except for the Thomas mural, which will be on view through February 17th, 2025.
For more information, go to: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/fall-2024-exhibition-season
Installation view of Sherrie Levine, Walker Evans, the Library of Congress, and others: The Burroughs Family (a collection), courtesy of Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston.
Krakow Witkin Gallery – If you are a fan of Walker Evans and love a convoluted, fascinating story, “Sherrie Levine, Walker Evans, the Library of Congress, and others: The Burroughs Family (a collection)” is for you. This assemblage brings together vintage 1936 photographs of the Alabama sharecropper Burroughs family by Walker Evans (from his project with writer James Agee culminating in the publication of “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men”), images from Sherrie Levine’s 1981 “After Walker Evans,” her appropriated and re-photographed images questioning authenticity, ownership, originality and traditional notions of the male artist as authority, and pictures produced by the Library of Congress, who owns the original negatives. LAST CHANCE! On view through Saturday, October 5th, 2024.
For more information, go to: https://www.krakowwitkingallery.com/exhibition/walker-evans-sherrie-levine-the-library-of-congress-and-others-the-burroughs-family/
From the solo exhibit Reflections of Life by Manfred Baumann at Leica Gallery, Boston. (photo ©Manfred Baumann)
Leica Gallery Boston – Known for his international celebrity, fashion and editorial images, Austrian-born photographer Manfred Baumann’s solo exhibit of his documentary work Reflections of Life, will be on view through November 3rd, 2024.
For more information, go to: https://leicagalleryboston.com/
“Rainbow” 2020 by Alexandra Brodsky, courtesy of the artist and Panopticon Gallery, Boston.
Panopticon Gallery – In response to the timeless back-to-school prompt, How I Spent My Summer Vacation, the gallery presents the images of twelve photographers. By turns nostalgic, reflective, adventurous and fun, the exhibit will be on view through November 1st, 2024.
For more information, go to: https://www.panopticongallery.com/how-i-spent-my-summer-vacation
SOWA- Boston’s South End Arts District
“Hiding Place, Cambridge, MA” 2011 by Amani Willett, courtesy of the artist and Abakus Projects, Boston.
Abakus Projects – Amani Willett’s solo exhibit Hiding In Place explores locations along the Underground Railroad where fugitives are thought to have taken refuge on their journeys. In his landscapes, Willett investigates “the way history, memory and mythology have been etched into Underground Railroad sites…places (that) have become disconnected from their past yet still carry the legacy of shameful societal atrocities and stories of remarkable personal courage.” On view from October 4th – November 24th, 2024, there will be an Opening Reception on First Friday, October 4th from 6:00 – 8:30pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.abakusprojects.com/
GREATER BOSTON – Cambridge & Chelsea
“Best Friends Dortmund #4” 2012 by Nevin Aladag, courtesy of the artist and Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, MA.
Harvard Art Museums (HAM), Cambridge – In a deep dive into factors contributing to a sense of national identity, HAM presents Made In Germany? Art and Identity in a Global Nation. Exhibition curator Lynette Roth has created an examination of the complexities of modern German identity, featuring mixed media artwork from 1980 to the present by artists of diverse backgrounds and different generations. The majority of the show is comprised of photographs, photo collages and videos exploring such influences as labor migration following World War II, the unification of East and West Germany in 1990, and the influx of asylum seekers to the country since 2015. Made in Germany? asks, rather than offers ready answers to, the question of who or what represents Germany today. On view through January 5th, 2025.
For information about the exhibit and extensive associated programming, go to: https://harvardartmuseums.org/exhibitions/6286/made-in-germany-art-and-identity-in-a-global-nation
“Sleeping in Blue” by Fran Forman, courtesy of the artist, PRC and Pucker Gallery, Boston.
Photographic Resource Center (PRC), Cambridge – In her solo exhibit Obscure Intentions, Fran Forman has broadened her creative toolbox of old and new photographs, scanned objects, paintings, and drawings to include AI. Extending her ability to create haunting narratives, her current incorporation of AI enhances her tendency to noir mysteries and, as the title suggests, intentionally provokes viewers to ponder the future of photographic practice. On view from October 11th – December 1st, 2024, there will be an Opening Reception with the artist on Friday, October 18th from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
NOTE: there will be an online event with the artist on Thursday, November 14th, 2024 from 6:30 – 8:30pm.
For more information about the exhibit and associated programming, go to: https://www.prcboston.org/fran-forman-obscure-intentions/
Bridge Gallery, Cambridge – Photographer Mark Ostow’s unflinching eye offers a unique and revealing lens on political candidates in the lively solo show See How They Run, on view through October 19th, 2024.
For more information, go to: https://www.bridge.photos/contact
Slave Shackles. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC.
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology at Harvard University, Cambridge – In his award-winning project, Manifest: Thirteen Colonies, Wendel A. White selected and photographed objects with charged historic and spiritual impact on African Americans. Black and white baby dolls from a famed social science experiment, a midcentury voting machine, a lock of Frederick Douglass’ hair all gain resonance in White’s spare, naturally-lit images. As the 2021 Robert Gardner Fellow in Photography at the museum, White’s exhibition is accompanied by a book published by the museum in conjunction with Radius Books. On view through Sunday, April 13th, 2025.
To read our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/wendel-white-exhibit-manifest-thirteen-colonies-at-harvard-peabody-museum-of-archaeology-and-ethnology-in-cambridge-ma/
For more information, go to: https://peabody.harvard.edu/news/wendel-white-photo-exhibition-manifest-thirteen-colonies-open-harvard%E2%80%99s-peabody-museum
“Joe Rez” by photographer Darlene DeVita and writer Sarah Putnam, from the People of Chelsea Project, courtesy of the artists.
Spencer Lofts Gallery, Chelsea – Photographer Darlene DeVita and writer Sarah Putnam have created The People of Chelsea Project, offering an intimate look at the diverse and resilient community of Chelsea, Massachusetts. In addition to their contemporary narratives, the exhibit shares stories that go back generations, with projected images that explore how the black community was affected by two major fires, one in 1908 and one in 1973. On view by appointment through October 19th, 2024.
NOTE: There will be a special event on on Sunday, October 6th from 4:00-7:00pm which will feature a panel discussion with project participants at 4:30pm.
For more information and free registration, go to: https://www.spencerloftsgallery.com/
THE BURBS – Route 128 to Worcester
“Mommy, What is This?” by Ileana Doble Hernandez, 2018, from the series My Dear Americans, It’s not Enough, courtesy of the artist and the Danforth Art Museum.
“Untitled #13” by DM Witman, from the series Ecologies of Restoration, courtesy of the artist and the Danforth Art Museum.
(Feature Image) “First Frost, Tyler Field, Concord, MA” by Suzanne Révy, 2020, from the series A Murmur in the Trees, courtesy of the artist and the Danforth Art Museum, Framingham.
Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham – The museum is featuring three photography-based artists: Ileana Doble Hernandez looks at issues around gun violence in Dear Americans, It’s Not Enough; DM Witman invokes healing and resiliency through an environmental lens in Ecologies of Mourning/Ecologies of Restoration and our very own Suzanne Révy imparts a cadence of the seasons in her multi-panel series A Murmur in the Trees. All are on view from October 12th, 2024 – January 26th, 2025. An opening reception with the artists is planned for Saturday, October 19th from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
For more information: https://danforth.framingham.edu
From the series Another America by Phillip Toledano, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
“George Washington” by Rashed Haq, from the series Plausible Presidents, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
Video still from “Capital Gains” by Hayley Lohn, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
“Fort Irwin Replica Iraqi Village” by Andrea Orejarena and Caleb Stein, 2022, courtesy of the artists and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
“Untitled #27” by Josh Azzarella, film still, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester – Three ongoing fall shows tackle issues of personal and political consequence. In Artificial Intelligence: Disinformation in a Post Truth World, Josh Azzarella, Rashed Haq, Hayley Lohn, Andrea Orejarena & Caleb Stein and Phillip Toledano exploit manipulation and distortion to question “reality” during and far beyond elections. Marcus DeSieno’s solo show Privacy is a Myth We Tell Ourselves to Sleep and Sheri Lynn Behr’s solo show And You Were There, Too (photos below) each delve into the ubiquitous practice of surveillance and outdated assumptions of privacy. On view through October 27th, 2024.
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/artificial-intelligence-disinformation-in-a-post-truth-world-at-griffin-museum-of-photography-winchester-ma/
For more information, go to: https://griffinmuseum.org/
“62.009730, -6.771640” by Marcus DeSieno, 2015, from the series Privacy is a Myth We Tell Ourselves to Sleep, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
From the series You Were There Too by Sheri Lynn Behr courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
“Phumula, Paris” by Zaneli Muholi, 2019, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg – In an ongoing celebration of their expanding photography collection that now includes a large selection of pictures made by African photographers, the museum has installed Africa Rising: 21st Century African Photography. It includes photographs by Zanele Muholi (above), Lalla Essaydi, and Wilfred Ukpong among others whose work grapples with themes such as environmental exploitation, the aftermath of colonialism, women’s empowerment and Afro-Futurism. On view through February 23rd, 2025.
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/africa-rising-contemporary-photographs-at-the-firtchburg-art-museum-fitchburg-ma/
For more information, go to: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/
“Greg Louganis, Mission Viejo, CA” by Walter Iooss, 1984, Gift of Christopher Urban, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
Also at Fitchburg Art Museum – With the world’s attention on Olympics this past summer, it is fitting to see the legendary sports photographer Walter Iooss’ dynamic pictures collected and showcased in a museum setting. Iooss boasts over 300 Sports Illustrated covers from his sixty year career covering a broad range of major sporting events. He employed a cinematic eye with a well developed sense of timing and visual spectacle during his storied career. GOAT: The Sports Photography of Walter Iooss will be on view through January 5th, 2025.
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/g-o-a-t-the-sports-photography-of-walter-iooss-at-fitchburg-art-museum-ma/
For more information: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org
“Spode Wildcat Prowl with Rosemary Pomegranate” by JP Terlizzi, courtesy of the artist and Sohn Fine Art. Lenox, MA
Sohn Fine Art, Lenox – Creatures of Curiosity features the enchanting work of Jeff Robb, JP Terlizzi (photo) and Hans Withoos. On view from October 4th, 2024 – January 13th, 2025, there will be a Reception with the artists on Saturday, October 19th from 3:00 – 6:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.sohnfineart.com/
CAPE AND THE ISLANDS
Gary Marotta Fine Art, Provincetown – “Still,” a solo show featuring the exotic and playful still-life photographs of Kimberly Witham is on view through October 17th, 2024.
For more information, go to: https://garymarottafineart.com/
ROAD TRIP!
Rhode Island
“Purina Chows — Mount Victory, Ohio & North Market St – Kenton Ohio” by Robin Bailey, courtesy of the artist and RIPCA.
Rhode Island Center for Photographic Art, Providence – The economic engine of small towns in the midwest that sustained middle class manufacturing jobs and family farmers sputtered in the 1970’s. In Fading Glimpses of the Midwest, photographer Robin Bailey explores neighborhoods that have persisted despite the economic pressures. This exhibition will be presented alongside the themed open call Snapshot America: A Portrait of the United States in 2024. Both shows open with a reception October 17th from 5 to 8pm and will be on view through November 8th, 2024.
Connecticut
Folded Cyantoype by Fritz Horstman, courtesy of the artist and the New Britain Museum of American Art.
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain – Fritz Horstman experiments with cyanotype and folded paper to create sculptures that are inspired by the glaciers of Svalbard in Valleys & Blue Light and range in size from a few inches to six feet. On view through March 30th, 2025.
“Double Mona Lisa” by Vic Muniz, from the exhibition Extra-Ordinary, courtesy of the artist and the New Britain Museum of American Art.
Also at the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain – Using unconventional materials such as peanut butter and jelly, Brazilian born artist Vic Muniz builds tableaux before photographing them in Extra-Ordinary on view from October 6th through February 23rd, 2025.
For more information on both shows: https://nbmaa.org
New Hampshire
“Celebrations after the last prayers of Ramadan” by Gerald Annan Forson, 1980, Accra Ghana, courtesy of the artist and the Hood Museum.
Hood Museum, Hanover – Off Beat: Portraiture and Politics in the Photography of Gerald Annan Forson brings the tumultuous events of late 20th century Ghana into focus. Annan Forson’s interest in both grand spectacle and quiet, intimate moments brings his work into dialog with important forebears such as Felicia Abbas and Malick Sidibé. On view through winter of 2025.
For more information: https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/explore/exhibitions/beat
Maine
“Pyrocene 1 #14” by Jim Nickelson, courtesy of the artist and the Maine Museum of Photography.
Maine Museum of Photographic Arts, Portland – The laws of thermodynamics and the nature of physics inspired Energy In Flux that features abstract studies by Todd Watts, Susan Newbold, Sarah Hood Salomon, Luc Demers, Jim Nickelson, Caroline Savage, Elizabeth Greenberg, John Woodruff, Claire Seidl, Brenton Hamilton, Paul Rider, Bernie Meyers and guest presenters Meg Weston, Gary Green and Kevin Leduc. On view from October 4th – November 30th, 2024. Artist talks are planned for Friday, October 18th and Friday November 22.
For more information about the exhibit and related programming, go to: https://www.mainemuseumofphotographicarts.org/
Vermont
“Outdoor Tightrope Walkers” by Eliot Fernander, 1972, courtesy of the artist and the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT.
Shelburne Museum, Shelburne – Two shows to check out! First, A Grand Spectacle in the Great Outdoors showcases Eliot Fernander’s 1972 black and white photographs of a rare outdoor performance by Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus when the wet grounds prevented them from putting up the Big Top. Second, be sure to check out New England Now: Strange States which brings a group of multi-disciplinary New England artists together, including photographer Tara Sellios (below). On view through October 20th, 2024.
For more information: https://shelburnemuseum.org/
“Lux” by Tara Selios, courtesy of the artist and the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT.
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
