ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Dulwich Picture Gallery's 'Portrait of a City' Showcases 100 Years of American Photography

exhibition · 2026-07-28

The Dulwich Picture Gallery in London is showcasing 'Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography', which will be on display until 4 October 2026. This exhibition chronicles the development of American photography from the early 1900s, a period when cameras became accessible, leading to a more inclusive art form, against a backdrop of significant urban and social transformations. Curated by Alexander Moore, it features 38 prominent photographers, such as Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, and Diane Arbus. The exhibit starts with Stieglitz's 'The Steerage', emphasizing class disparities, and includes responses to the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression. It also examines urban architecture and communities impacted by AIDS, created in collaboration with Lillehammer Art Museum and supported by Savings Bank Foundation DNB.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography' at Dulwich Picture Gallery until 4 October 2026.
  • Curated by Alexander Moore, exhibition curator and creative producer at Dulwich Picture Gallery.
  • Features 38 leading photographers from the 20th century.
  • Includes works by Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, Margaret Bourke-White, Berenice Abbott, Arthur Leipzig, Ed Ruscha, Diane Arbus, Lee Friedlander, Peter Hujar, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, Mary Ellen Mark, Rebecca Lepkoff, and Saul Leiter.
  • Begins with Stieglitz's 'The Steerage' (1907), depicting class divisions.
  • Documents effects of the Wall Street Crash (1929) and the Great Depression.
  • Explores urban architecture and street life, including communities affected by AIDS.
  • Presented in partnership with Savings Bank Foundation DNB and created in collaboration with Lillehammer Art Museum.

Entities

Artists

  • Alfred Stieglitz
  • Dorothea Lange
  • Margaret Bourke-White
  • Berenice Abbott
  • Arthur Leipzig
  • Ed Ruscha
  • Diane Arbus
  • Lee Friedlander
  • Peter Hujar
  • Walker Evans
  • Lewis Hine
  • Helen Levitt
  • Mary Ellen Mark
  • Rebecca Lepkoff
  • Saul Leiter
  • Edward Steichen
  • Richard Avedon
  • Bruce Davidson

Institutions

  • Dulwich Picture Gallery
  • Savings Bank Foundation DNB
  • Lillehammer Art Museum
  • Zander Galerie
  • DNB Savings Bank Foundation
  • Howard Greenberg Gallery
  • The Mary Ellen Mark Foundation
  • Saul Leiter Foundation
  • Estate of Rebecca Lepkoff
  • Walker Evans Archive
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • DNB Saving Bank Foundation

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • New York
  • United States
  • Los Angeles
  • California
  • Cologne
  • Paris
  • Lillehammer
  • Norway
  • Harlem
  • East River
  • Chicago
  • San Francisco

Sources