Following a major gift of more than 1,700 photographs, the Fairfield University Art Museum is now home to the third largest collection of fine art photographs in Connecticut (after Yale University Art Gallery and Wesleyan University), and the largest in Fairfield County.
A Venue for Prestigious Photographic Exhibitions
“This remarkable collection of photographs was a truly transformational gift to the museum’s permanent collection,” said Carey Mack Weber, Frank and Clara Meditz Executive Director of the Fairfield University Art Museum. “It serves as a catalyst for our institution's ascent to national prominence as a venue for prestigious photographic exhibitions.”
The gift, from donors who wish to remain anonymous, is being made over the course of four years, and commenced two years ago.
First on Display in For Which It Stands…
Museum visitors can get their first look at seven of the photographs from this major collection now through July 25, as part of the museum’s current exhibition—the first time works from the donation are on display to the public at the University.
For Which It Stands…, the semiquincentennial exhibition examining depictions of the American flag from World War I to the present day, includes a work by John Gutmann (American, born Germany, 1905-1998), four by Leonard Freed (American, 1929-2006), and one by Danny Lyon (American, born 1942), as well as an unknown artist’s Associated Press wire photo of a pro-Vietnam War demonstration.
The John Gutmann photograph, entitled, The News Photographer, San Francisco City Hall dates from 1935. Gutmann was a German-born Jew who fled his native country in 1933. Settling in the United States, he set about documenting all aspects of his new homeland, including this shot of a reception for Nazi officials organized by the German Consulate in San Francisco. Uniformed American sailors sit politely before the podium, as the American flag is joined by the flag of the German Empire and that of Nazi Germany. Gutmann’s work makes up the largest portion of the donated collection, with over 150 photographs by the artist.
Showcasing 20th Century American Artists and Beyond
The strength of the collection is in American 20th century artists, but it includes works by contemporary and European artists as well. Notable American artists whose work is represented, beyond those in For Which It Stands…, include Alfred Eisenstadt (American, born Germany, 1898-1995), Joel Meyerowitz (American, born 1938), Doris Ulmann (American 1882-1934), and Todd Webb (American, 1905-2000).
Contemporary artists include Matthew Pillsbury (American, born 1973) and Abelardo Morell (Cuban, born 1948), while European artists of note include Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908-2004), Paul Almsay (Swiss, born Hungary, 1906-2003), and Rene Zuber (French, 1902-1979).
There is also a selection of works by portraitists Yousif Karsh (American-Canadian, 1908-2002) and Philippe Halsman (American, born Latvia, 1906-1979).
“The addition of these photographs to the Museum’s current collection has helped to solidify our position as a leading cultural institution in the state,” said Weber.
For more information on the Fairfield University Art Museum, and for museum hours, visit fairfield.edu/museum.
