Photography Exhibition: Philadelphia Museum of Art - Ralph Eugene Meatyard: Dolls and Masks

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has become one of the foremost exhibitors of fine art photography in the nation. Ralph Eugene Meatyard: Dolls and Masks, an extremely interesting and thought provoking exhibition is certainly worthy of this great institution.

This exhibition will run through August 5, 2012

Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American 1925–1972) is not a very familiar name in 20th-century photography, yet his impact on contemporary art, belatedly recognized, is significant. An optician in Lexington, Kentucky, Meatyard sustained a life-long interest in visual perception. Well read and deeply connected to a circle of poets and philosophers, he made photographs rich in literary allusion. Meatyard’s photography was not accidental or documentary, but rather deliberate, often staged, and searching for inner truths rather than ephemeral surfaces. His simple presentations of fictional scenarios have found echoes in the work of artists such as Emmet Gowin, Cindy Sherman, and Francesca Woodman.

While Meatyard's photography will undoubtedly not appeal to everyone, there is no doubt it will make anyone think about what they are viewing.

As I travel, I love seeing the work of other photographers as I hope you do. If you know of a new photographic exhibition which you think the Blog should publicize, please contact me.