Since 1839

Essays on a range of photographic topics by the recently appointed chief curator of photography at MoMA.

This volume offers a selection of essays by the renowned photography historian Clément Chéroux. Chéroux, appointed chief curator of photography at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 2020, takes on a variety of topics, from the history of vernacular photography to the influence of documentary photography on Surrealism. The texts, published together in one volume for the first time and newly translated into English, reflect the breadth of Chéroux's thinking, the rigor of his approach, and his endless curiosity about photographs.

In this strikingly designed and generously illustrated volume, Chéroux presents unique case studies and untold stories. He discusses ways of sharing images, from the nineteenth century to the digital age; considers the utopian ideals of early photography; and analyzes the duality of amateur photography. Among other things, he describes the appeal of photographs snapped from a speeding train and explains historical value of first-generation prints of photographs. Through an analysis of key photographs taken on 9/11, Chéroux shows that the same six images were seen again and again in the press. Widely ranging, erudite, and engaging, these essays present Chéroux's innovative investigations of the histories of photography.