Robert Adams' 'No Small Journeys' Exhibition at Matthew Marks Gallery Reveals Human Drama in Mundane Landscapes

From November 8 to December 20, 2003, the Matthew Marks Gallery in New York presented 'No Small Journeys,' the first public exhibition of Robert Adams' work. This collection included photographs taken between 1979 and 1982, featuring scenes around Denver and the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant, capturing individuals in transitional public areas. Adams, who started his photography journey in 1967, utilized a Roliflex 2-1/4 square format camera and developed a technique for achieving seamless skies in his black-and-white photos. The series was initially published by Aperture in 1983 under the title 'Our Lives and Our Children.' The installation, designed for mid-day lighting, highlighted the community's vulnerability near a nuclear site and explored themes of innocence in 'lost places.'