The ’70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography

Lewis Baltz, Anthony Hernandez, Helen Levitt and Mitch Epstein are part of the group exhibition The ’70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography in the National Gallery of Art in New York. The 1970s was a decade of uncertainty in the United States. Americans witnessed soaring inflation, energy crises, and the Watergate scandal, as well as protests about pressing issues such as the Vietnam War, women’s rights, gay liberation, and the environment. The country’s profound upheaval formed the backdrop for a revolution in documentary photography. Activism and a growing awareness and acceptance of diversity opened the field to underrepresented voices. At the same time, artistic experimentation fueled the reimagining of what documentary photographs could look like.