Life Through the Lens

Garry Winogrand

Capturing the mundane in a way that heightens the beauty of existence is a skill that should be celebrated. Such is the work of Garry Winogrand (1928 – 1984), who recorded not only the daily activity, but also the genuine character of society. Full of flamboyant personality, the photographer was famed for his street shots of everybody from businessmen to hippies, animals and celebrities. For the first time in 25 years, SFMOMA is exhibiting a retrospective, unpacking his most iconic images alongside his hidden archive footage. Shooting every angle of American life, Winogrand was not organised when it came to getting his film developed; consequently he left behind approximately 6,500 rolls of film (about 250,000 images) after his sudden death aged 56. Significantly, half of the exhibited photographs have never been seen in public before. These photographs are an extract from the show, which runs from 9 March until 2 June.

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