WASHINGTON. La vita e il lavoro del presidente John F. Kennedy è in mostra allo Smithsonian American Art Museum, fino al 17 settembre. “American Visionary” riunisce 77 immagini e si basa sul libro JFK: A Vision for America.
La mostra è un omaggio al 35esimo Presidente che ha compreso l’importanza delle arti nella società americana e il potere delle immagini per trasmettere lo spirito e le aspirazioni di un paese.
L’amministrazione di Kennedy coincise infatti con un’era d’oro di fotogiornalismo in America. Nessun singolo politico è stato fotografato più di Kennedy e le fotografie hanno immortalato tutto il suo percorso politico (e non). Il primo incontro congressuale come eroe di guerra decorato nel 1946, il matrimonio fiabesco a Jacqueline Bouvier nel 1953, la corsa per la Casa Bianca nel 1960 fino alla sua morte, a Dallas nel 1963: i fotografi documentari come Ed Clark, Ralph Crane, Philippe Halsman, Jacques Lowe, Steve Schapiro e Sam Vestal hanno catturato tutti questi momenti e molte delle fotografie in mostra sono risultate delle icone del periodo.
WASHINGTON. A new exhibition commemorating President John F. Kennedy’s life and work will be on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s main building from May 3 through Sept. 17. “American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times” brings together 77 images culled from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Getty Images, private collections and the Kennedy family archives that capture the dramatic scope of Kennedy’s life. The exhibition is one of the most exhaustively researched collections of Kennedy photos ever assembled. “American Visionary” is based on the forthcoming book JFK: A Vision for America.
The museum’s presentation of “American Visionary” is the première event in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s yearlong, nationwide celebration that commemorates Kennedy’s centennial year. The exhibition opens in time for what would have been Kennedy’s 100th birthday on May 29.
“The Smithsonian American Art Museum is proud to host one of the first centennial celebrations to honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy,” said Stephanie Stebich, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. “The aptly named exhibition ‘American Visionary’ is a fitting tribute to the 35th President, who understood the importance of the arts in American society and the power of images to convey the spirit and aspirations of a country.”
Kennedy’s administration coincided with a golden age of photojournalism in America. No single politician was photographed more than Kennedy-from his first congressional bid as a decorated war hero in 1946, his fairytale marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953, his run for the White House in 1960 and role as commander in chief, to the tragedy of his death in Dallas in 1963. Documentary photographers such as Ed Clark, Ralph Crane, Philippe Halsman, Jacques Lowe, Steve Schapiro and Sam Vestal captured the optimism and challenges of the early 1960s in some of the finest and most vivid images of the period. Many of the photographs on display are iconic.
The exhibition is organized and curated by Lawrence Schiller of Wiener Schiller Productions; John Jacob, the museum’s McEvoy Family Curator for Photography, is coordinating the exhibition in Washington, D.C. The exhibition will travel to several cities across the United States following its opening at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
“John F. Kennedy is still seen as a symbol around the world, representing and espousing the best and most universal elements of the American character,” said Stephen Kennedy Smith, Kennedy’s nephew and co-editor of JFK: A Vision for America. “It is our hope that the compelling images of President Kennedy’s life and work on view in this exhibition will remind visitors not only of the values that defined his presidency, but also will introduce him to new audiences and future leaders.”
