Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Prepares for Landmark American Photography Exhibition
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is set to host Europe's inaugural major survey of American photography. Titled American Photography, this extensive exhibition will showcase over 200 works, spanning three centuries, and offers a comprehensive look at the medium's profound influence on American art, news, advertising, and daily life. The exhibition is scheduled to run from 7 February to 9 June 2025.
Exploring American Culture Through the Lens
American Photography will present a diverse portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of its photographers. The exhibition draws from the Rijksmuseum's own growing collection of American photography, acquired over the past decade, and features significant loans from more than 30 institutions across the United States, the Netherlands, and other European countries.
Visitors will encounter works by renowned figures such as Sally Mann, Robert Frank, Lisette Model, Nan Goldin, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Paul Strand, Diane Arbus, and James Van Der Zee. The exhibition will also highlight compelling photographs by unknown and anonymous artists. Themes explored include the American dream, expansive landscapes, and evolving portraiture, tracing how photographers have documented societal changes and events. The display also examines photography's development as an art form, from 19th-century daguerreotypes to the contemporary works of artists like Dawoud Bey and Sarah Sense, alongside its integration into everyday life through family portraits, advertisements, and postcards.
Concurrent Display: Carrie Mae Weems' 'Painting the Town'
Running concurrently with American Photography, visitors can also experience Carrie Mae Weems’ 2021 series, Painting the Town, displayed in the Rijksmuseum’s photography gallery. This series, also noted in a museum release here, features powerful, large-scale works that resemble abstract paintings. Weems created these photographs in her hometown of Portland, documenting the aftermath of Black Lives Matter protests where authorities had painted over activist slogans on boarded-up shop windows. The unintended result was a series of painterly compositions. Weems uses this work to delve into themes of racism, sexism, discrimination, and what it means to bear witness to history. This marks the first exhibition of Carrie Mae Weems' work in the Netherlands.
The Rijksmuseum's Expanding Photography Collection
The Rijksmuseum’s photography collection provides a broad overview of the history of photography, comprising nearly 200,000 vintage prints, albums, photo books, and other unique photographic works. It includes notable pieces by masters such as Anna Atkins, Gustave Le Gray, and Brassaï, alongside examples demonstrating photography's use in advertising, fashion, and journalism.
Curators Mattie Boom and Hans Rooseboom have guided the photography collection since the 1990s and were recognized with the AIPAD award in 2023, making them the first non-US recipients of the prestigious American prize. Their recent focus has centered on collecting American photography, acknowledging the United States' significant contributions to the field since the mid-20th century.
Visiting the Exhibitions in Amsterdam
Both American Photography and Carrie Mae Weems: Painting the Town promise a profound cultural experience for visitors to the Rijksmuseum. The main exhibition, American Photography, is presented with support from Baker McKenzie and various Rijksmuseum funds, while Carrie Mae Weems: Painting the Town is made possible in part by the Friends’ Lottery and the Women of the Rijksmuseum Fund.
For those planning to visit, American Photography will be on view from 7 February to 9 June 2025, with Carrie Mae Weems: Painting the Town running concurrently. To discover more about current and upcoming cultural events, or to plan your next museum visit in Amsterdam, explore Musemap (musemap.art) for details on what's on or to browse other museums in the city.
