The Center for Creative Photography

This morning, we went to The Center for Creative Photography, to see the new exhibit, Richard Avedon: Relationships.  Richard Avedon’s work was primarily in fashion and portrait photography, from the 1940’s through the 1990’s.  He photographed famous people and models who became famous wearing well known clothing designer’s latest designs.  One of his most famous photographs was of Dovima wearing Dior and with Elephants in 1955.  A print of the photograph was in the exhibit, along with a print of his 1957 photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and so many more.  Richard Avedon gave over 400 images of his work to The Center for Creative Photography prior to his death.  Many examples of his work are at https://www.avedonfoundation.org/the-work.

We also saw several photographs by Ansel Adams in the Heritage Gallery.  His work never ceases to amaze!  Ansel Adams co-founded The Center for Creative Photography.  We are grateful his photographs are in the archives at the UA in Tucson! 

"The Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, is recognized as one of the world's finest academic art museums and study centers for the history of photography. The Center opened in 1975, following a meeting between the University President John Schaefer and Ansel Adams. Beginning with the archives of five living master photographers—Ansel Adams, Wynn Bullock, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, and Frederick Sommer—the collection has grown to include 270 archival collections. Among these are some of the most recognizable names in 20th century North American photography: W. Eugene Smith, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Edward Weston, and Garry Winogrand. Altogether there are over eight million archival objects in the Center's collection including negatives, work prints, contact sheets, albums, scrapbooks, correspondence, writings, audiovisual materials and memorabilia. In addition to whole archival collections the Center also actively acquires individual photographs by modern and contemporary photographers. There are currently more than 90,000 works by over 2,200 photographers. A library of books, journals, and exhibition and auction catalogs including many rare publications plus an extensive oral history collection complements the archival and fine print collections. The combined art, archival, and research collections at the Center provide an unparalleled resource for research, exhibitions, loans, and traveling exhibitions." 

Check out some of the collection at The Center for Creative Photography.