March 4, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Briscoe Center for American History, Austin, Texas
Main Exhibition Gallery, Sid Richardson Hall Unit 2
Admissions is free. Reservations are recommended.
Robert Polidori is one of the world’s most acclaimed architectural photographers of human habitats and environments. His photographs bear witness to the passage of time, locating evidence of history in the spaces we build and live within. With selections from Polidori’s comprehensive photographic archive, Present/Past takes viewers beyond the widely acknowledged aesthetic value of his images.
The large-format prints on display include Polidori’s significant projects: the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding in New Orleans, the Château de Versailles, Havana, and Chernobyl, as well as his Metropolis series, which documents population and urban growth. In addition, the exhibit includes materials from the full breadth of the Polidori Archive. From his initial Polaroids and annotated images to proofs and final prints, Present/Past reveals the layers of evidence contained in the collection as a whole.
The Briscoe Center is grateful to a Chicago-area family who generously donated the Robert Polidori Photographic Archive for teaching and research. Present/Past: The Robert Polidori Photographic Archivewas made possible with support from the Briscoe Family Endowment. It was designed by McKinney York Architects.
For exhibit hours and further details, please visit https://briscoecenter.org/visit/research-and-collections/.
