Richard Gordon: Meta Photographs

The Corcoran Gallery of Art was among the first museums in the United States to acquire photographs, beginning with Eadweard Muybridge’s Animal Locomotion and the Wheeler Survey album in the late-19th century. The museum began collecting photographs in earnest in the 1970s, and has since acquired works in a variety of media made between the late-19th century and the present day. The collection now includes more than 6,500 photographic, video, and digital works, which together reflect diverse ideas and styles important to the evolution of various media.

Two galleries in the museum are dedicated to showcasing works from the Photography and Media Arts collection in a series of rotating exhibitions.

Richard Gordon: Meta Photographs

February 5-May 1

Image Credit: Richard Gordon, Santa Cruz, California, 1973-1978. Gelatin silver print, 10 15/16 x 14 inches. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Gift of Mr. Isidore and Mrs. Dorothy (Steinberg) Kavka and Museum Purchase, 1996.59.w. © Richard Gordon 1978/1994.

During the 1970s, artist Richard Gordon created Meta Photographs, a book and portfolio that explores the self-referential nature of photography in a series of ironic, humorous scenes. Comprised of 47 photographs that refer to other images, to the camera, or to the act of looking, Meta Photographs confirms the significance of photography in American culture. A selection of works from this series is on view.