Photography Collection

RAM’s holdings—a combination of works in craft media and works on paper––include a diverse selection of drawings, watercolors, prints, and photographs from artists with national, regional, and local reputations. A subset of works on paper, photography––with its historical push-and-pull between being a hobbyist endeavor, its scientific developments, and its use as an art medium—offers a rich parallel to craft media that has only relatively recently gained recognition as valid creative expression.

Over the years, with the help of donors and artists, RAM has acquired photographs by celebrated artists like Diane Arbus, Roy DeCarava, Michael Kenna, and Aaron Siskind. Additionally, well-known artists associated with historical government-sponsored initiatives, such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Farm Security Administration (FSA), have been made available to RAM––bringing work by Berenice Abbott, Dorothea Lange, and Brett Weston into the mix.

RAM’s support of regional photographers and video artists began with Wisconsin Photography 1979. For this exhibition, artists present a portfolio of ten images for review by a professional juror. Unlike most competitions, which ask for one or two entries, this show is comparable to a visit to the artists’ studios, in which the juror is able to view a sizable sampling of each artists’ work.

Since the first Wisconsin Photography exhibition, RAM has purchased works for the museum’s permanent collection. Through these acquisitions, RAM has assembled a vibrant record of Wisconsin photographers and their career developments, furthering the institution’s commitment to the medium. This year, the museum will add five new works to the museum’s photography holdings, which now total nearly 700 pieces dating from 1909 to 2020.