Closed for 2 years , ICP – the International Center of Photography has reopened in its new premises 250 Bowery. ICP is a legendary institution founded in 1974 by Cornell Capa. The first international institution to be dedicated to photography and particularly Concerned Photography “documentary and photojournalism”. Big challenges await the center today. To celebrate the reopening, today is devoted to ICP with quotes ,interviews and texts from some of its leaders. – Jean-Jacques Naudet
Photography has undergone a seismic shift in the last two decades. What was once practiced by few and viewed by many, is now practiced – and shared – globally by tens of millions. We are all image-makers.
Images are being used to communicate complex ideas about everything from politics to climate change to terrorism, and especially to establish our own identities. This affects us not just as individuals, but society as a whole.
Visual communication – the personal production, distribution and real-time reaction to images – is now a fundamental component of our real-world identities. ICP is uniquely suited to host the conversations examining the implications of this profound societal shift.
We bring a perspective to bear via our deep historical understanding of the medium through our collections; our curators create programming designed to spark dialogue and bring greater awareness; and our School trains and inspires the next generation of visual storytellers.
The new ICP Museum itself will offer a platform for those kinds of conversations to be held about visual culture and its impact. It links back to Cornell Capa’s idea of the Center – a public forum for discussions about the world we are living in today.
The space itself was designed to spark and extend the dialogue about visual culture. Most notably, the 90 feet of glass installed at the front of the Museum is an intentional invitation for conversation and interaction. The goal – eschew the intimidating “Marble Staircase mentality” so many other institutions have for a more accessible one, where everyone is welcome to come into the Museum and engage.
Our premiere exhibition – Public, Private, Secret – extends and enhances this conversation. Not just via the exhibition itself; its experience spans the virtual and physical worlds, thanks to unique content on the website (www.publicprivatesecret.org), public programming and the publications related to the show.
The next exhibition, Perpetual Revolution, picks up the conversation with an exploration of the relationship of images to social change. Then, ICP returns to its roots with the Magnum Photos 70th anniversary exhibition, which looks at the material conflict of photojournalism and art photography within the agency.
From its inception, ICP has firmly believed in and promoted the idea of photography and image-making as catalyst for social change. This is as true today as it was 50 years ago when Cornell Capa established the International Fund for Concerned Photography (the precursor to ICP), and makes this a particularly auspicious moment to open the new ICP Museum.
