Munkacsi's

Lost Archive

Hungarian photographer Martin Munkacsi (1896 – –1963) created dynamic and elegant images of models and athletes in motion. His unique style —inspiring photographers from Henri Cartier-Bresson to Richard Avedon —grew out of the context of 1930s photojournalism and required a combination of split-second timing and radical cropping. For Munkacsi, process was the key.

The recent rediscovery of his long-lost negative archive helps to clarify his working methods and uncover the secrets behind his most famous images. Drawn from the collection of over 4,000 glass negatives recently acquired by the International Center of Photography, this exhibition will include vintage and modern prints, as well as some original negatives, many still in their boxes with Munkacsi's handwritten annotations. This exhibition was organized by Erin Barnett, ICP Assistant Curator of Collections.

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Martin Munkacsi
[Tibor von Halmay and Vera Mahlke], ca. 1931 (negative)
© Estate of Joan Munkacsi, courtesy International Center of Photography
Image
Martin Munkacsi
[Tibor von Halmay and Vera Mahlke], ca. 1931
© Estate of Joan Munkacsi, courtesy International Center of Photography
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Martin Munkacsi
[Katharine Hepburn], 1935
© Estate of Joan Munkacsi, courtesy International Center of Photography
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Martin Munkacsi
[Woman with white peignoir], 1936
© Estate of Joan Munkacsi, courtesy International Center of Photography
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Martin Munkacsi
[Woman looking at reflection of herself in rearview mirror], 1937
© Estate of Joan Munkacsi, courtesy International Center of Photography
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Museum

1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
Jan 16, 2009 - May 03, 2009

Special Thanks

Munkacsi's Lost Archive is a part of Extremely Hungary, a yearlong festival of performances and exhibitions in New York City and Washington, D.C., throughout 2009. The festival is organized by New York's Hungarian Cultural Center to celebrate Hungary's contemporary arts and impact on American culture. Additional information and complete programming can be found at www.extremelyhungary.org.