Inge Morath's Venice Observed at Palazzo Grimani
A new exhibition at Palazzo Grimani in Venice showcases Inge Morath's 1950s photographs of the city, alongside a best-of selection from her global reportage and portraits of artists like Louise Bourgeois, Jean Arp, Alberto Giacometti, Pablo Picasso, and Alexander Calder. The show highlights Morath's shift from Magnum secretary to photographer after Robert Capa urged her to shoot. Her Venice series, created for Mary McCarthy's book Venice Observed, captures everyday life with a neorealist style influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson. The exhibition also includes self-portraits and giant prints of Morath.
Key facts
- Inge Morath (1923–2002) was born in Graz and died in New York.
- In 1951, during a Venice stay with her husband Lionel Bruch, Morath called Robert Capa about sending a Magnum photographer; he told her to do it herself.
- Morath bought a roll of film and took her first authorial photos, though she already had a Contax camera given by her mother.
- The exhibition at Palazzo Grimani focuses on Morath's 1950s Venice photographs, made for Mary McCarthy's Venice Observed.
- Morath was given one week for the assignment but stayed three months, reportedly due to a romance with painter Bobo Ferruzzi.
- The Venice images are black-and-white, neorealist, and show children, schoolgirls, porters, and elegant women.
- The show includes a best-of section covering Spain, Iran, the US, Romania, France, and China.
- Portraits feature Louise Bourgeois, Jean Arp, Alberto Giacometti, Pablo Picasso, and Alexander Calder.
- Morath married Arthur Miller after his relationship with Marilyn Monroe ended.
- The exhibition closes with giant prints and self-portraits of Morath.
Entities
Artists
- Inge Morath
- Robert Capa
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Mary McCarthy
- Bobo Ferruzzi
- Arthur Miller
- Marilyn Monroe
- Louise Bourgeois
- Jean Arp
- Alberto Giacometti
- Pablo Picasso
- Alexander Calder
- Lionel Bruch
Institutions
- Magnum Photos
- Palazzo Grimani
- Fotohof archiv
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Graz
- Austria
- New York
- United States
- Spain
- Iran
- Romania
- France
- China
- Jerusalem