Ten Pictures: A History of Photography

The ancient Greeks first discovered the principles of the camera obscura sometime between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, but photography as we know it was invented in the 19th century. The first “photograph” was taken by Joseph Niepce in 1814, it wasn’t until 1839 when Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot simultaneously released completely different processes for capturing and holding an image that we entered the age of photography.

Modern photography is a language that everybody speaks today. We walk around with tangible cameras in our pockets and have online platforms where pictures are a prominent aspect. Photography We instinctively understand and relate to photographic images, while contemporary paintings often require some kind of explanation and context.

How did we get to this point in photography in less than 200 years?

In this lecture with Peter Hay Halpert, look at the history of photography through ten pictures (and a few asides and detours), running from 1839 through to cutting edge contemporary work. Through this tour, examine some of the key issues that photography has dealt with and get to know some of the most important artists who have worked with the medium. Join in for a post-program social with light fare from 1:30 – 2 pm.

In an effort to reduce single-use items, we encourage you to bring your own water bottles, utensils, and other serving pieces to all programs at the Boulder JCC. We are grateful for the partnership of our community in our commitment to sustainability

Peter Hay Halpert
Peter Hay Halpert is a private art dealer, collector, author, and curator. He was educated at Trinity College, and did his doctoral studies at Brown University. As an art dealer he has specialised for 30 years in contemporary artists working with photography. Notably, he represented Ryan McGinley – the youngest artist ever to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum. The Metropolitan Museum, MoMA, ICP, the Whitney, the Guggenheim, the Getty, the MFA, Boston, SF MoMA, the MFA, Houston, the Centre Canadien d’Architecture, the Tate, and the Victoria & Albert Museum all collect work by his artists.

He has written as Contributing Editor of AMERICAN PHOTO, and as a Columnist for THE ARTNEWSPAPER, as well as articles for APERTURE, ART & AUCTION, ARTNEWS, ART & ANTIQUES, and THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE. He authored more than ten books, including three on the photographs of Hiroshi Sugimoto, and has written articles on Andy Warhol’s Polaroid photographs, David Hockney’s interest in photo-based technology; and the role of photography in Francis Bacon’s paintings.

He has been a professor at SVA and ICP, and a lecturer at Trinity College and the University of Pennsylvania, and has spoken at universities and museums around the world, including the Whitney, the High Museum of Art, and the Royal College of Art.

His personal photography collection comprises close to 4,000 pieces and has been exhibited widely.

Wednesday, October 11 | 12:30 – 2 pm | $18