Connecting with the Collection: Photographic Portraits

Curated by Brian Cohen & Laura Domencic

Rick Smolan, Stranger and Stranger, gelatin silver print, museum collection

Gelatin Silver Print of Two Men in Suits named Stranger and Stranger by Rick Smolan from the Museum Collection

Donated Gelatin Silver Print of Football Team from 1903 by Unknown Artist from Connecting with the Collections: Photographic Portraits — Unknown, gelatin silver print, gift of the Mead family

5/13/2022 - 6/25/2023

Frenzel Gallery

This exhibition features a small selection of the many photographic portraits found in the collection of the Erie Art Museum. They represent a wide range of approaches to the genre: from formal studio-style portraits shot against simple backdrops, to composed scenes that offer contextual clues as to their subject’s identity, to documentary-style photographs and street photography.

Guest curator Brian Cohen is a photographer based out of Pittsburgh, PA focusing on editorial and documentary photographs. Cohen also co-curated Out Of Many – Stories of Migration which is currently on view at the Erie Art Museum.

Artists included in this exhibition are: Serge Balkin, Karen Bell, Kevin Bubriski, Tom Caravaglia, Kerry S. Coppin, Joseph Diess, Michael Emery, Mark Frey, Robert Gilge, Kenneth Graves, Mahlon Hirsch, Kathe Kowalski, Tony Ray-Jones, Arthur Rothstein, Edward Sheriff Curtis, Len Speier, Alfred Stieglitz, Mark Perrott, Jose Picayo, and Rick Smolan.

Supported by ArtBridges, PA Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Photogravure of Old Man Wrapped in Blanket named Star White by Edward Sheriff Curtis from Connecting with the Collections: Photographic Portraits — Edward Sheriff Curtis, *Star White*, photogravure

Ink Print on Hahnemuhle Paper of Man and Woman named Tat Man & Mrs. T from Connecting with the Collections: Photographic Portraits — Mark Perrott, *Tat Man & Mrs. T*, archival ink/Hahnemuhle paper, gift of the artist

Gifted Inkjet Print of Woman Glancing at the Camera named Fashion by Serge Balkin from Connecting with the Collections: Photographic Portraits — Serge Balkin, *Fashion*, inkjet print, gift of Jose Picayo