News/Events

DATE: August 30, 2009

National Geographic Society Photographs at Steven Kasher Gallery

For many years there has been a kind of secret museum of photography under the streets of northwest Washington — an immense, windowless, climate-controlled archive with roots reaching back more than a century.

The pictures make up the archive of the National Geographic Society. "People don't realize how beautiful this collection is," said William C. Bonner, the society's archivist, "and it's a shame, in a way, that I'm the only one who's seen many of these pictures." It was this sentiment that motivated him and officials there to explore the idea of opening up the holdings to the fine-art market for the first time.

After considering proposals from several dealers, the society recently chose the Steven Kasher Gallery in Chelsea, which has worked with several other large archives of photojournalistic images. On Sept. 17 the gallery will open its first exhibition of National Geographic pictures — 150 vintage prints from a dozen photographers.

All images are from the National Geographic Image Collection and will be part of a limited series of photographs and illustrations for purchase through the Steven Kasher Gallery in New York.

Read the complete article in The New York Times.

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