"Edward S. Curtis: Photographer of his Time"

 

    The James Museum, our favorite museum in Florida, has mounted another great exhibition this winter, through March 29, 2026, that is a must-see for anyone interested in American art, history, and photography.  ( Exhibit Website )  Its subject is the work of Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952), a photographer and ethnologist who made it his life work to document what he, and the rest of the world, believed were the last days of Native Americans.  By the end of the 19th century, Native Americans had been totally broken.  Survivors of disease, starvation and decades of warfare had been forced onto bleak reservations, their cultures and spirits shattered.  It seemed that the entire race was entering its last days; the "end of the trail" became a common and symbolic motif among writers and artists.  Curtis began traveling throughout the American West in the 1890s, photographing Native Americans as they lived their daily lives.  Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, he had the idea to publish a thorough and complete set of books permanently recording for posterity as many of the surviving tribes and their cultures as he could before they disappeared forever.  The books would be of the highest quality and include the best reproductions of his photos, and its price would be high.  Finally, twenty volumes were published over decades, and the work consumed Curtis' life.  

One of the volumes on display

    Curtis' photos, and his ethnologies, became an invaluable resource, a cultural treasure, even though his ethnologies contain some errors and misinterpretations.  His photos have been reproduced repeatedly in books and as art.  Here, the James Museum curator Caitlin Pendola and co-curator Ernest Gendron have assembled an exhibition that not only documents Curtis' career, but it also illustrates how his work changed and evolved over time, reflecting new art movements and attitudes.  The exhibition also brilliantly pairs some of his photos with works by some of his contemporaries like Dorothea Lange, Thomas Hart Benton, and Matisse.  Viewers can see the similarities, and it's like the works are engaged in conversation with each other.

    Students of history will recognize many of the photos in the exhibit as prints often used in books and documentaries.

    The exhibition also includes a special gallery of portraits taken by Curtis.  One portrait is chosen to represent each of the 84 tribes or communities that Curtis documented in his 20 volumes.  They are remarkable portraits.  Displayed on four walls in one small space, the photos dispel the monolithic view of "Native Americans" as a homogenous culture.   The viewer sees the many differences in physical appearance and in culture that actually existed among the hundreds of tribes that were present in North America in the past.  Beyond that, the viewer sees individual human beings, each with his or her won story.  

    Curtis' photos of objects are often as engaging and beautiful as his portraits of people, outstanding works of art.

    Another great exhibit, further establishing the James as a great museum!

Kimono at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg

 

    Through June 8, 2025, the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg is hosting what may be the most beautiful museum exhibition that I have ever seen:  "Kimono:  The Triumph of Japanese Dress."  

From the museum website :

"For many of us, the word 'kimono' immediately conjures up mental images-probably of geisha, the famous artist-entertainers of Japan in their elaborate, traditional dress. However, the word kimono itself has a much broader meaning and encompasses clothing not just for women, but for men, girls, and boys. These garments range from exquisite ceremonial robes to simple everyday clothing, many of which follow the same, simple but sophisticated construction. But, depending upon their ornamentation or materials, these remarkable garments can convey an extraordinary amount of information, from major social movements to the seasons of the year.

This exhibition, organized around several interwoven themes, will feature over one hundred extraordinary kimono dating from the late Edo period (1603-1867) through Shōwa era (1926-1989). It will include examples of furisode, the kimono with beautiful, long sleeves worn by young women or stage performers, and men’s juban, the austere but elegant under-kimono often decorated with mythical scenes or wrestlers.

The exhibition will also explore the manufacture of these incredible garments, from the weaving of the tanmono-the long, narrow bolt of cloth of which they are sewn, to the creation of the decorative designs which ornament them. In addition to finely woven damasks or brocades, many kimono feature intricate free-hand painting using a resist process, often combined with superb embroidery using gold-wrapped or even lacquered threads, as well as glorious shibori, which is akin to Western tie-dyeing. Also, the exhibition will incorporate related accessories, including obi-the prized, traditional sashes, as well as Japanese photography, woodblock prints, and decorative arts." 

    The kimonos selected for display are stunning, and they are arranged and displayed in a manner that shows them off extremely well.  The descriptions and posted information are quite informative, describing not only each piece but also kimonos in general and how they were created and worn.

    I particularly found the kimonos from the 1920s through the 1940s interesting because they reflect the growing militaristic fervor that was gripping Japan at the time.  There's overt military imagery, but there's also one that features very militaristic and warlike cranes, a departure from traditional Japanese symbiology in which cranes typically represent longevity, good fortune, peace, and hope.  

    This exhibition is a total must-see.  Here are a few more of my favorites.