Iconic images of the American West taken by more than 50 photographers spanning more than a century of real-time issues and conditions will be on display as “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West” opens in ten national venues on October 27. The largest simultaneous US museum opening of its kind, the exhibition includes 75 works that stand alone as both fine art and journalistic moments in the history and culture of the Western United States. Selected from among thousands in the National Geographic image collection, they are the work of photographers ranging from such well-known names as William Henry Jackson and Ansel Adams to contemporary photographers William Albert Allard and Bruce Dale.
James McNutt, president and chief executive officer of the National Museum of Wildlife Art, is one of the exhibition organizers and a contributor to the book accompanying the exhibition. “The exhibition presents a powerful and nuanced portrait of the West over more than a century, and it’s exciting that the medium of photography allows multiple openings across the country for greater impact in sharing the combined vision of such an important group of photographers.”
A dedicated website, featuring exhibition images, photographer interviews, interactive features and more will be available online at www.photographsofthewest.org as the exhibition opening date approaches. The ten participating museums are Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Ga.; Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyo.; Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, Ind.; Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Okla.; National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Okla.; National Geographic Museum, Washington, D.C.; National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson Hole; Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Corning, N.Y.; C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, Mont.; and Stark Museum of Art, Orange, Texas.
A companion book to the exhibition, National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West: Capturing 125 Years of Majesty, Spirit and Adventure (National Geographic Books, October 2012), features more than 180 photographs, including rarely published and never-before-seen images.
For more information, 307-734-5335 or www.wildlifeart.org .
