Hirshhorn Museum Surveys Carlotta Corpron, the Texas Photographer Who Absorbed the Bauhaus
The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. is currently showcasing a major exhibition called "Carlotta Corpron: Light Is a Plastic Medium," which runs until March 14, 2027. This display includes six of her collections from Texas, created between the late 1930s and early 1950s. Even though Corpron was away from major art cities like New York and Paris, she still connected with influential avant-garde artists during the mid-20th century. She embraced Bauhaus ideas of simplicity and precision within her Texas environment. Notably, she received support for her abstract prints from Alfred Stieglitz and assisted László Moholy-Nagy, while György Kepes mentored her. Despite these connections, she remains relatively underrecognized in 20th-century photography, making this exhibition crucial for her legacy.
Key facts
- "Carlotta Corpron: Light Is a Plastic Medium" is on view at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. through March 14, 2027
- The exhibition surveys six bodies of work Corpron made in Texas from the late 1930s to the early 1950s
- Alfred Stieglitz encouraged Corpron's abstract prints after meeting her in New York
- Corpron worked for a time as László Moholy-Nagy's assistant
- Hungarian photographer György Kepes served as a mentor to Corpron
- Corpron lived her life in the American heartland, far from New York and Paris
- She brought the rigor and simplicity of the Bauhaus to small-town Texas
- Corpron never reached the international fame of her avant-garde peers and remained obscure among 20th-century photography enthusiasts
Entities
Artists
- Carlotta Corpron
- Alfred Stieglitz
- László Moholy-Nagy
- György Kepes
Institutions
Locations
- Texas
- United States
- New York
- New York City
- Paris
- France
- Washington, D.C.
- Hungary
Sources
- Artsy —