The Longmont Museum is hosting a giant in the field of landscape photography. In the Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Ansel Adams: Early Works, viewers will explore Ansel Adams’ masterful small prints from the 1920s into the 1950s.

“While Adams was prolific for more than five decades, the works in this show shed light on the early part of his career,” said Museum Director Kim Manajek. “The compositions, the depth of field, and the saturation changed over time. This is a rare glimpse into the development of one of American’s most beloved landscape photographers.”

Ansel Adams’ images of the Western landscape were informed by his belief in the transcendental concept of the sublime—a complex combination of overwhelming awe and fear. By capturing the abject power of nature, Adams changed our understanding of landscape photography, solidifying it as a legitimate form of modern art.

The exhibit also features representative vintage cameras and photographic equipment like Ansel Adams might have used to create his remarkable photographs. These examples give visitors a sense of the bulk of the cameras that Adams hauled to cliff edges and mountaintops. Also included is a film showing Ansel Adams’ work process and the precision with which he approached creating images.

The exhibition opens the evening of Friday, January 25 and runs through May 26, 2019. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, and veterans. Longmont Museum members and children age 3 and under are free.

Ansel Adams: Early Works is presented in Longmont by Old Town Outfitters. The exhibition is organized by art2art Circulating Exhibitions and is from the Collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg. Photo credit J. Malcolm Greany and the Collection Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona ©The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust.

PUBLIC OPENING RECEPTION
Presented by Old Town Outfitters
Friday, January 25, 6 – 8 pm
$8 adults, $5 students/seniors/veterans, children 3 and under free, Museum members free

Be the first to see the exhibit. In honor of Adams’ love of music and his early interest in becoming a pianist instead of a photographer, this event will feature live music on our Shigeru Kawai piano, generously donated to the Museum by Lila Stewart. Cocktail attire. Light appetizers provided; cash bar. Tickets available at the door.

Members of the Museum’s Giving Club are invited for a private preview and tour of the exhibit prior to the opening. To learn more about how to get involved with the Giving Club, visit longmontmuseum.org and click on Join & Support.

EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING

Button Rock Preserve: Protecting Longmont’s Watershed
Thursday, February 7, 6:30 pm; free admission—tickets required
The inspirational legacy of Ansel Adams includes his major significance as an environmentalist. Learn about one of Longmont’s most important environmental resources: water. Find out what it takes to manage the water, forests, and recreation at Button Rock Preserve. Watershed Ranger Jamie Freel will explore these topics and share stories from the flood of 2013.

On the Ground: Contemporary Landscape Photography after Ansel Adams
Moderated by Eric Paddock, Curator of Photography, Denver Art Museum
Thursday, March 14, 7:15 pm; free admission—tickets required
For two centuries, idealized visions of the American West have lured people in search of adventure, wealth, freedom, and inspiration. Ansel Adams expressed the region’s breathtaking vistas with such skill that his photographs command our respect and inspire our environmental sympathies nearly 100 years after he made them. Join us for a lively conversation with contemporary landscape photographers as they attempt to square the idealism and grandeur of Adams’ vision with their own perceptions of today’s West. Co-presented with the Firehouse Arts Center.

A Community Forum on Fracking
Thursday, March 21, 7:15 pm; free admission—tickets required
Join us for an evening dedicated to increasing public understanding of the hotly contested issue of hydraulic fracturing, “fracking,” for natural gas and oil. All sides will be heard in a safe and respectful environment.

Art & Sip
Grab a drink and get creative with these Thursday night art classes for adults, February 14 – March 21. New projects each week, all with a focus on topics surrounding Ansel Adams’ life and work.

Views & Brews American Landscape Film Series
To help celebrate our Ansel Adams: Early Works exhibit, enjoy a series of films featuring the American landscape Thursday nights, February 7 –  March 7. The films will take you from Yosemite’s mighty Half Dome and Wyoming’s Devil’s Tower to Mt. Rushmore and the American South. Special $2 beers from Left Hand Brewing Company. All movies are also paired with a signature cocktail, and galleries are open (5–9 pm) to enjoy for free with your film ticket.

Learn more and get tickets for these events by visiting www.longmontmuseum.org by calling 303-651-8374.

LONGMONT MUSEUM
The Longmont Museum is a center for culture in Northern Colorado where people of all ages explore history, experience art, and discover new ideas through dynamic programs, exhibitions, and events. Regional history, internationally-known artists, and explorations of culture are all part of the mix of exhibitions at the Longmont Museum. Permanent exhibits document the 14,000 years of human history in Longmont and the people who helped to create this community. Special exhibits in the Museum’s main gallery, Portal Gallery, and Swan Atrium change several times a year. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Road, Longmont CO 80501.

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