Rubin Museum of Art and International Centre of Photography to present Steve McCurry's photos of India
September 3, 2015: In its first partnership with the International Center of Photography, the Rubin Museum of Art will present “Steve McCurry: India,” opening on November 18, 2015. The exhibition will showcase McCurry’s photographs of India in a museum for the first time, featuring a selection of 37 photographs of intriguing scenes of everyday life, including his early projects India by Rail and Monsoon. Many of the photographs on display are considered iconic in McCurry’s oeuvre, and some have never been seen by the public.
Steve McCurry is a widely respected contemporary American photographer who has traveled extensively since the late 1970s. His exceptional use of color and ability to connect with his subjects has resulted in photographs that have captivated viewers worldwide, such as the photograph of an Afghan refugee with piercing green eyes, Sharbat Gula (1984), also referred to as the Afghan Girl, considered one of the most iconic images of our time.
“Steve McCurry: India” focuses for the first time on a survey of McCurry’s photographs of India, a combination of portraits, landscapes, and documentary imagery. The exhibition opens with images of spiritual life, as well as selections from the series India by Rail, which portray the movement and life surrounding the Indian Railway. Photographs from the Monsoon series depict India’s season of heavy storms that is also synonymous with life, passion, and celebration. Later works capture beautiful landscapes, historical sites, and the life of ordinary people in major cities and rural areas, representative of diverse regions of India. Objects from the Rubin Museum collection of Himalayan art will be thoughtfully selected to complement the photographs on view and to illustrate the connections between ancient and contemporary India.
In addition to the photographs, the exhibition will incorporate video interviews with prominent photographers and specialists on McCurry’s work and related themes. The audio guide for the exhibition will include commentary from McCurry himself, offering a deeper perspective on his process and his connections to India.
On November 18, the Rubin Museum will host McCurry for a ticketed public program, where he will discuss the impact that his imagery has had on current affairs as well as the personalities captured by his lens. McCurry has also selected eight films that have influenced the way he looks at light, color, form and narrative, for an upcoming series to be presented at the Rubin in January 2016.
Phaidon is scheduled to publish a book of Steve McCurry’s photographs of India in October 2015, which will accompany the exhibition. Support of this exhibition has been provided by Phaidon and Contributors to the 2015 Exhibition Fund.
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