The February/March issue of Cowboys & Indians showcases the photographs of artists and readers. If paging through whets your appetite for more images, here are some exhibitions devoted to the craft of the camera.
Terry Toedtemeier, Indian Cove, 2004. Inkjet print, 15 5/8 × 20 inches. Estate of Terry Toedtemeier, Collection of Prudence F. Roberts and courtesy of PDX Contemporary Art, Portland. © Tacoma Art Museum, photo by Lou Cuevas.
Through February 17
Sun, Shadows, Stone: The Photography of Terry Toedtemeier
Photographer and curator Terry Toedtemeier was fascinated by geology and often sought to photograph places that had been shaped first by catastrophic geological events and then by the effect of humans. This exhibit comprises 82 of his dramatic images of the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon coastline, arid terrain of southeastern Oregon, and photographic experiments capturing his close circle of friends and colleagues. Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, Washington, 253.272.4258, tacomaartmuseum.org
Through March 31
Shots in the Dark
Explore your preconceptions, fears, and fantasies about the world of shadows in this exhibition of nearly 30 images by four contemporary Southwestern photographers. Christopher Colville, Scott B. Davis, Michael Lungren, and Ken Rosenthal each put their signature spin on the dark side of a medium known for its reliance on light. New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, 505.476.5072, nmartmuseum.org
Ralston Crawford, Unloading the Cargo, ca. 1942. Gelatin silver print, 4 1/2 × 7 inches. Gift of Neelon Crawford, 2015.49.117.
Through April 7
Structured Vision: The Photographs of Ralston Crawford
The geometry of man-made things fascinated Ralston Crawford. His photographs, shot from the 1930s through the 1970s, celebrate both the modern American industrial landscape and the vitality of the New Orleans jazz culture. This exhibition—60 photos, one silkscreen print, one lithograph, and examples of his filmmaking—provides an essential look at a vital era of abstraction in American art and sub- jects that inspired it. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, 816.751.1278, nelson-atkins.org
Through April 12
Russell Lee’s FSA Photography in New Mexico
Photographer Russell Lee began traveling the United States for the Farm Security Administration when he was hired in 1936 for the FSA’s famous Depression-era photojournalism project. As part of a team that included Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, Lee documented communities and cultures around the country, producing iconic images for what has been described as “the greatest documentary collection which has ever been assembled.” Among the communities he documented in New Mexico were Hobbs, Holman, Peñasco, Taos, Wagon Mound, and Quemado, with his most defining work emerging out of Pie Town in 1940. New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, 505.476.5072, nmartmuseum.org
Thomas D. Mangelsen, Catch of the Day, 1988, Fujiflex Crystal Archive Print Framed. 50 x 70 inches.
Through May 5
Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild
This retrospective celebrating nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen’s 40 years of traveling to Earth’s last wild places offers visitors a look at the varied wildlife he photographs. Grizzlies, mountain lions, moose, elk, bobcats, tigers, elephants, polar bears, and penguins are just a few of the species visitors can expect to see. National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, 307.733.5771, wildlifeart.org
Through June 8
Lasting Impressions: The Work of Edward S. Curtis
Photographer and ethnologist Edward S. Curtis set out to document traditional Indian life through photogravures, writings, and sound recordings. Between 1907 and 1930, he published images and descriptions of Native American peoples throughout the American West. This exhibition includes more than 100 images and books from his “The North American Indian” project. Stark Museum of Art, Orange, Texas, 409.886.2787, starkculturalvenues.org/starkmuseum
Through September 8
Arthur Lazar Photographs
A dozen black-and-white images of landscapes, architecture, people, roadways, and objects, mainly of the American West, taken between 1980 and 1999, offer a glimpse at New Mexico photographer Arthur Lazar’s unique perspective on life. Lazar invites viewers to connect to their own experiences through these photographs. Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona, 520.624.2333, tucsonmuseumofart.org
Photography: (Top Image) Thomas D. Mangelsen, Catch of the Day, 1988, Fujiflex Crystal Archive Print Framed. 50 x 70 inches.