Moment in Time

A LEGACY OF PHOTOGRAPHS / WORKS FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA COLLECTION

Moment in Time: A Legacy of Photographs

Works from the Bank of America Collection

June 8–September 15, 2024 | Fifth Third Gallery and Sinton Gallery

The first photographs ever made astonished the public with their apparent ability to freeze time. Even today, in an age in which we are witnesses to an endless flow of images, we continue to be fascinated by the power of photography. Moment in Time features more than 100 photographs dating from the invention of the medium in the 1830s through the mid-20th century. The exhibition includes compelling masterworks by William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, Timothy O’Sullivan, Alfred Stieglitz, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, and Walker Evans, among others. Their interests ranged from perfecting photography’s technical capabilities to documenting the formal beauty of nature to exposing the social realities of America. All, however, explored the breadth and depth of the camera’s ability to capture a moment in time.

DAILY ADMISSION FREE SUNDAYS & MONDAYS

Admission is free for Taft members, guests of members with guest pass, military, and youth (17 and under); $15 for adults; $12 for seniors. Save on tickets when you buy online. Includes admission to special exhibitions and the museum’s collection galleries. Sundays and Mondays are FREE!

Experience the Exhibition

Enjoy special tours, behind-the-scenes insights, and more during this unique exhibition!

Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), Northern California Coast Redwoods, from Portfolio Four: What Majestic Word/In Memory of Russell Varian, detail, 1963, about 1960 negative, printed in 1963, gelatin silver print, 140/260. Bank of America Collection

Frame|Work Blog

5 Curator Favorites in Moment in Time

On a time crunch? Here are five must-see works in our special exhibition Moment in Time on view June 8–September 15, 2024.

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Yousuf Karsh (Canadian, b. Armenia, 1908–2002), Marc Chagall, September 20, 1965, detail, 1965, gelatin silver print. Bank of America Collection. © Yousuf Karsh

Frame|Work Blog

Before Digital: The Magic of Early Photography

As the title of the Taft Museum of Art’s summer exhibition suggests, photographs are perceived as capturing a “moment in time.”...Moment in Time: A Legacy of Photographs / Works from the Bank of America Collection offers us the opportunity to examine, up close, many fascinating photographic processes from the pre-digital age.

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Barbara Morgan (American, 1900–1992), Martha Graham in Letter to the World, 1940, gelatin silver print. Bank of America Collection. Barbara and Willard Morgan photographs and papers, UCLA Library Special Collections. Choreography by Martha Graham, Courtesy of Martha Graham Resources

Members’ Opening Reception | Moment in Time

Thursday, June 6

5–8 p.m.

Join us for an exclusive members’ opening and be one of the first to explore the Taft’s newest special exhibition, Moment in Time. The program will include remarks from President & CEO Rebekah Beaulieu and Bank of America President Mark Ryan, as well as music and self-guided tours. Light bites and drinks. Free valet parking.

NEW: Reduced Pricing!

$10.00 for Members 
$20.00 for Guests of Members 
Complimentary for Sustaining Members ($275+)

GET TICKETS

Questions? Contact membership@taftmuseum.org.

Walker Evans (American, 1903–1975), Penny Picture Display, Savannah, detail, 1936, gelatin silver print. Bank of America Collection

Members’ Preview Day & Tour | Moment in Time

Friday, June 7

10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Tour at 11 a.m.)

Join us for an exclusive members’ preview day! Created for members and their guests. A tour with Angela Fuller, assistant curator, is available with advance registration.

Free for Taft members and guests of members with guest pass.

GET ADMISSION TICKETS REGISTER FOR TOUR

Questions? Contact membership@taftmuseum.org.

Walker Evans (American, 1903–1975), Barber Shop, Alabama, detail, 1933, gelatin silver print. Bank of America Collection

Curator Tours | Moment in Time

Thursdays, July 18 and September 5

11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Enjoy curator-led tours of the Taft’s special exhibition, Moment in Time.

Led by Tamera Lenz Muente, curator.

Reservations are required. Admission is free for Taft members, guests of members with guest pass, military, and youth (17 and under); $15 for adults; $12 for seniors. Save on tickets when you buy online. Includes admission to special exhibitions and the museum’s collection galleries.

GET TICKETS

Questions? Contact education@taftmuseum.org.

Create & Play

Third Wednesday of the Month

10:15–11 a.m.

Bring your young one to the Taft! Explore the galleries together while learning about art through guided activities and interactive games. Then get creative in the studio and make your own masterpiece to take home. This monthly program is designed for children ages 2–6 and their caregivers.

In observance of Juneteenth, Wednesday, June 19, the museum will be closed. No programs will be held.

Wednesday, May 15 | Musical Moments

Wednesday, July 17 | Moment in Time

Wednesday, August 21 | Transportation at the Taft

Questions? Contact education@taftmuseum.org.

FREE! Family Funday

Sunday, June 16

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Explore the museum with our free Family Fundays throughout the year! Enjoy music, art-making, and gallery experiences that will be sure to inspire your young creators.

Celebrate the exhibition Moment in Time with art activities, food and drinks specials in the Lindner Family Café, family tours, and musical guests.

This is a free event! Registration is not required. Museum admission is free.

Questions? Contact education@taftmuseum.org.

William Henry Fox Talbot (British, 1800–1877), Orléans Cathedral, detail, 1843, calotype. Bank of America Collection

Signature Talk | Time After Time: Moments in Photography

Thursday, July 25

Fifth Third Gallery, Sinton Gallery, and Taft Historic House open until 6 p.m.

Talk is in Luther Hall 5:30–6:30 p.m.

What can a photograph tell us about the moment in time that it was made? As we gather single photographs into a larger group, what can that separate action—assembling a collection of photographs—tell us about the history of photography itself? Join Brian Piper, PhD, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, New Orleans Museum of Art, for a talk on the presentation of Moment in Time. Piper will highlight works from the exhibition, with attention to both their making and our contemporary understanding, while drawing connections between artists and across time.

Free for Taft members; $15 for non-members. Event admission includes admission to special exhibitions and the museum’s collection galleries.

GET TICKETS

Questions? Contact education@taftmuseum.org.

Supported by the Stanley and Frances D. Cohen Lecture Series

Julia Margaret Cameron (British, 1815–1879), Untitled (May Prinsep), October 1870, detail, 1870, albumen silver print. Bank of America Collection

Writing Circle | Moment in Time

Saturday, June 29

12–2:30 p.m.

Led by Women Writing for (a) Change, this writing circle is inspired by Moment in Time. Participants will be guided through the exhibition and engage in a facilitated writing circle in response to the art.

Bring your favorite writing materials or use the supplies provided. Time will be given for independent writing and reflection on the exhibition. Participants will reassemble for a read around, when everyone is invited (but not obligated) to read part or all of what they wrote during the session. We will conclude with time for crosstalk and feedback.

Both new and experienced writers are welcome. Recommended for ages 16 and up. We encourage you to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start time.

$25 for Taft members; $35 for non-members. Registration is required at WomenWriting.org. Includes admission to special exhibitions and the museum’s collection galleries. Please note: The Taft cannot process refunds for this program. Learn more at taftmuseum.org/Workshops.

GET TICKETS

Questions? Contact education@taftmuseum.org.

The works in Moment in Time were originally assembled in the late 1960s by pioneering art historian and curator Nancy Newhall for the Exchange National Bank of Chicago (later acquired by Bank of America), forming the first corporate photography collection in America. This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.

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