Montclair Art Museum Unveils 25 Years of Photography Acquisitions in Platinum to Postcards

Cara Romero (Chemehuevi, b. 1977); Water Memory, 2015 Archival pigment print on Canson Palatine Fiber Rag Ed. 5/10; Sheet: 34 x 34 in.; framed dims?; Museum purchase, Acquisition Fund 2019.1.1; Row Q, Shelf 3.2

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) —  What does a museum photography collection look like in the 21st century— and how does it take shape? Platinum to Postcards: Collecting Photography at MAM (2000– 2025) offers a rare look at the Montclair Art Museum’s photography acquisitions over the past 25 years—from early 20th-century prints to bold contemporary works. On view now until to the Fall, the exhibition invites visitors to experience the breadth and evolution of the medium—and the Museum’s expanding vision.

Curated by Chief Curator Gail Stavitsky, the exhibition showcases more than 40 photographs acquired since the year 2000, from platinum prints to archival pigment prints, Polaroids to postcards. The result is a dynamic portrait of photography’s role in shaping—and reflecting— American art, culture, and identity.

“This is more than a collection of beautiful images,” says Stavitsky. “It’s a story of artistic innovation, cultural shifts, and the growing diversity of voices represented in photography today. It’s also the story of the Montclair Art Museum and how we’ve committed ourselves to collecting with purpose.”

William Richardson (1876–1935) Grand Central Station, N.Y., ca. 1927-28; Vintage gelatin silver print 197/8×157/8in. Museum buy; Collectors Forum Fund; 2007.12; No present location recorded

From postcard-sized prints that after handed by the mail to larger-than-life portraits exploring identification and place, this exhibition provides a full-spectrum expertise of images’s previous, current, and future. Whether you are a seasoned collector, an artwork fanatic, or just curious in regards to the energy of photographs, Platinum to Postcards guarantees one thing unforgettable.

Platinum to Postcards additionally enhances the Museum’s reinstallation of Native artwork by works by Indigenous photographers Cara Romero (Chemehuevi Indian Tribe), Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit/Unangax̂), and Holly Wilson (Delaware Nation), bridging collection-building with up to date cultural narratives.

Highlights from the Exhibition Include:

* Cross-generational storytelling: From Alfred Stieglitz’s protégé Karl Struss to rising up to date artists like Alia Ali (Yemeni-Bosnian-American) and Holly Wilson (Delaware Nation), the exhibition spans generations, types, and views.

* Works not often or by no means earlier than exhibited: Discover pictures by Louis Stettner, Robert Barry, Kiki Smith, and Vik Muniz, many on view for the primary time or after a few years in storage.

* A glance inside Warhol’s world: See a not often exhibited number of Andy Warhol’s private Polaroids, preserved in a spiral-bound album and now displayed in a particular set up.

Philippe Halsman (1906–1979) Andy Warhol, 1968; Color {photograph} 17 x 14 in. sheet Gift of Beth and George Meredith 2005.23.7; Flat File Drawer 8, Folder 2