Form and Light: Brett Weston Photographs

Allen Memorial Art Museum Ripin Gallery      

January 24- May 21, 2017

Born in Los Angeles in 1911, Brett Weston began to study photography as a teenager and went on to become a successful photographer of landscapes and still life. His career was launched in 1925 when he and his father, renowned American photographer Edward Weston,traveled to Mexico, where he met painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, along with photographer Tina Modotti. From his father and his circle, Weston learned not only the craft of photography, but also a formalist approach to his artistic subjects. Extracting objects from their context to focus on minute details of line and shape, as well as contrasts of light and dark, Weston’s photographs are visual studies of form and light. 

The exhibition is curated by Denise Birkhofer, former Ellen Johnson ’33 Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, with assistance from Madeleine Aquilina (OC ’16). The museum acknowledges the generosity of Christian Keesee Collection and the Brett Weston Archive, which provided for the acquisition of the majority of the photographs.

© http://oberlin.edu/amam/FormandLightBrettWestonPhotographs.html

Featured Photo

Untitled (Reeds, Japan), 1970 Gelatin silver print


OSU Museum of Art shines light on new Brett Weston exhibit

The work of renowned photographer Brett Weston will be on display at the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. 

“Shadows and Light: The Photography of Brett Weston,” which will be on view Oct. 29, 2024 - Feb. 1, 2025, showcases Weston’s unique photography style. 

Weston (American, 1911-1993) was mentored in photography from a young age by his father, Edward Weston. By the age of 13, Weston’s father removed him from school to work on a photography project together in Mexico. While there, Brett Weston was exposed to the work of famous artists such as Tina Modotti, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. 

Weston’s unique photography style played a major role in securing him a spot as one of American’s most prominent photographic artists. By working with lighting and placement of objects, Weston blended objects into the background while still showcasing how they’re two separate entities. 

Weston’s work often amazes and confuses viewers with its complex relationships between subject and background. The most well-known strategy of representational photography, where the subject is brighter than the background, is upended in Weston’s photographs. In his work, the subject and background are seamlessly blended while still being distinct. 

Andy Mattern, OSU associate professor of art, graphic design and art history, has emphasized how everyone can benefit from viewing Weston’s work in various ways. 

“Exhibits like Brett Weston’s are an important resource not only for students studying the history of photography, but also those who wish to expand their appreciation for photography as an art form,” Mattern said. “Especially in our hyper-digital age, seeing this type of highly crafted photographic work in person represents a unique chance to understand the development of the medium and perhaps begin to see the world in a new way.” 

Weston understood the immense difference between a camera’s perspective and human vision. This understanding laid the foundation for Weston’s success. 

This exhibition showcases Weston’s artworks and invites viewers to ponder his captivating yet puzzling work.

“Shadows and Light: The Photography of Brett Weston” is on view Oct. 29, 2024 - Feb. 1, 2025, at the OSU Museum of Art in downtown Stillwater. This exhibition was made possible by donations from the Brett Weston Archive and the Christian Keesee Collection. Learn more at https://museum.okstate.edu/art/shadows-and-light.html.