Support the ICP Infinity Awards at icp.org/donate. All proceeds directly benefit ICP’s education and exhibition programs.
About Joyce B. Cowin
Joyce Cowin spent many of her 93 years supporting the arts.
In her younger years, she led museum and gallery tours, and later helped save the Museum of American Folk Art.
And she was instrumental in opening the New York Historical Society’s Women’s History Center, which at the time was the only gallery dedicated to women’s art in the city.
Throughout it all, she supported her husband, Daniel Cowin, as he collected photography of all types, including African American works of everyday life.
“He was so ahead of his time. He would take what is thoroughly out of style, and guess what? Five years later, that's the big thing.“ Joyce Cowin said.
Before he died at 70 in 1992, Daniel donated his large collection of African American vernacular photography to the International Center of Photography where he was a member of the Board of Trustees.
“We were very fortunate to have Daniel Cowin give that collection to ICP,” David E. Little, Executive Director of ICP said. “It's such an incredible resource to young scholars who can now look at those pictures and really understand certain things about history and society that otherwise would have been lost.”
Joyce Cowin has continued Daniel Cowin’s strong support of the ICP, and the center has honored her with its 2023 Infinity Awards: Trustee Award.
Joyce Cowin said she’s thrilled to receive the recognition, and she’ll be accepting it in honor of her late husband.
“I'm so happy that finally he is getting some recognition,” Joyce Cowin said. “He'd be very happy. I think he would say, ‘Thank you so much for being interested in what I have collected.”
About the ICP Infinity Awards
Since 1985, the annual ICP Infinity Awards have recognized major contributions and emerging talent in the fields of photojournalism, art, fashion photography, and publishing. Support the ICP Infinity Awards at icp.org/donate. All proceeds directly benefit ICP’s education and exhibition programs.