Author: Ella Fornari
National Geographic Magazine was first published in 1888 as a 13-page pamphlet on worldly exploration with no photos or images. One-hundred and twenty-five years later, National Geographic is now ubiquitously known for its stunning photographs of life on Earth. To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the National Geographic, the Annenberg Space for Photography collaborated with National Geographic in curating “The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years.”
The exhibit features over 500 National Geographic images ranging from iconic photographs, such as the “Afghan Girl,” to lesser known images selected from the magazine’s archive of over 11.5 million photos. The exhibit features images that vary from pristine shots of nature and wildlife to current events and war photography.
Although many people (especially within academia) have been critical of National Geographic’s history of ethnographic images, the Annenberg exhibit celebrates the power behind the magazine’s imagery.
A gallery screening room runs a film in which National Geographic photographers discuss the power of images and what draws them to certain subjects and styles of photography. At the root of their responses, all the photographers interviewed asserted that they felt a responsibility to capture images of places, species or ways of life in order to raise awareness. Photography allows for this sharing of knowledge and understanding because an image, although subjective, has the potential to display universal emotion. The idea that emotions are universal is central to National Geographic’s brand of photography.
The Annenberg Gallery’s wall space is limited. “The Power of Photography” exhibit rotates images digitally on 35 large high-definition screens throughout the gallery. The digital displays also alter gallery viewing habits, as visitors are forced to physically look at and stand in front of images longer because of the time it takes for the screens to circle through images. Along with these screens the exhibit has prints and photographic wallpaper, leaving not an inch of wall unused.
Displaying images on screens, although alleviating space problems, is particularly interesting given that National Geographic is a print-based magazine. Some of the circling images were analog photos, including photographs from the original National Geographic expeditions in the early 1900s. This mixture of the old and new on digital displays stressed the importance of technology in National Geographic’s photography. With print issues of National Geographic magazine costing around $8 an issue, there is also something democratizing about a gallery on digital screens. In utilizing print and digital display formats, “The Power of Photography” forces visitors to think about both the legacy and future of National Geographic’s photography.
“The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years” runs until April 27, 2014 at The Annenberg Space for Photography, which is open free to the public Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and is located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles, CA 90067
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