The Movies

2024-01-26 - 2024-04-07

"THE MOVIES” - an exhibition of photographs from classic films of the 20th Century. The exhibition begins on January 26, with a public open house reception on Saturday, February 17, from 4 – 6 PM. “THE MOVIES” will continue through April 14. The 96th Academy Awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.

The movies aren’t confined to the silver screen; they permeate our culture, influence fashion, and shape societal norms. The movies rescued us from difficult times and assured us that we could topple our foes in battle; and gave us music and dancing, violence and romance. Movies will always be about laughing and crying, about learning how to live and how to die. Nowhere and nothing else frees our fantasies and stirs our hopes and fears, our tears and our eternal romances, like that unique phrase – The Movies.

On the set of every movie is a still photographer, documenting the movie's action (often alongside the camera) to be used in publicizing it. They provide the images for posters, photographs in newspapers and magazines, and other media. Additionally, Hollywood portrait photography came into existence at the beginning of the 20th Century as studios needed to create interest in their motion pictures by promoting the actors who starred in them. Over time, photographs from classic movies have developed historical and cultural importance. The Movies also features several classic photographs of vintage theaters and their marquees.

Musee Magazine review:  "The Movies at the Monroe Gallery of Photography is a visual treat for anyone from the most hardened film buff to the casual moviegoer. The sheer breadth of iconic images will dazzle the eyes and inspire the mind, taking visitors back to that first romantic time they laid eyes on the silver screen."

Next Exhibit: 1964 - the year American culture fractured and eventually split along ideological lines, establishing the poles of societal debate that are still raging today. Opening reception Saturday, April 20, 4-6 pm; exhibition continues through June 23.