Imogen Cunningham

Frida Kahlo, painter and wife of Diego Rivera

1931

Imogen Cunningham occupies a singular position in the history of American art of the 20th century. For over half the history of photography, she explored, with innovation and a new perspective, all the major traditions associated with the medium as fine art. She has been most widely acclaimed for the photographs made during the 1920s and 1930s, particularly close-up images of plants and nudes. She also made portraits which are now considered classics in photography, including images of Alfred Stieglitz, Spencer Tracy and Martha Graham. She was a founding member of the West Coast-based Group f.64, which championed an un-manipulated, direct approach with the camera, or “straight” photography. Her photographs are represented in major collections and museums around the world.

(Biography provided by Weston Gallery)