The Museum of Modern Art is presenting "Time Travelers: Photographs from the Gayle Greenhill Collection," a major exhibition showcasing works from an extraordinary collection of photographs donated to the museum in 2019. The donation was made by Robert F. Greenhill in memory of his late wife, Gayle Greenhill, who lived from 1936 to 2017 and was a dedicated supporter of photography at MoMA for more than twenty years.
Gayle Greenhill was deeply committed to the museum's photography program, serving on MoMA's Committee on Photography from 1992 to 2013. The exhibition, which runs from October 31, 2025, through February 2, 2026, celebrates her lasting dedication to the medium of photography. The show features more than 50 photographs selected from a transformative gift that includes several hundred works by over 100 identified photographers, as well as many pieces by unknown photographers.
The exhibition is curated by Lucy Gallun, Curator, working alongside Samuel Allen, Curatorial Assistant, and Kaitlin Booher, former Beaumont and Nancy Newhall Curatorial Fellow from the Robert B. Menschel Department of Photography. Rather than organizing the works chronologically or by theme, the curators have chosen to emphasize each photograph's potential to serve as a gateway to different worlds – whether the photographer's own world or one created entirely within the boundaries of the photographic print.
The collection spans the entire history of photography, from its earliest days to contemporary works, and brings together pieces that reflect a wide variety of styles, processes, and approaches. Some photographs were created as artistic expressions, while others were made for scientific purposes or to document significant events. Early pioneers like Julia Margaret Cameron and Edward Steichen are represented, marking important efforts to establish photography as an artistic medium.
The tradition of artistic photography continues through works by Manuel Álvarez Bravo, William Eggleston, and Cindy Sherman. The exhibition also features experimental pieces by Man Ray, László Moholy-Nagy, Harold Eugene Edgerton, and Jan Groover that explore photography's ability to reveal ways of seeing that are impossible for the human eye alone. Documentary works include Herbert George Ponting's Antarctic landscapes and Hiro's image capturing the Apollo 11 launch, both recording expeditions into unfamiliar territories.
Still life photography is represented through works by Karl Blossfeldt, Imogen Cunningham, and Irving Penn, which find deep meaning in everyday subjects. The portrait section showcases the complexity of photographing both oneself and others, featuring David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson's social documentary work, an example from Alfred Stieglitz's decades-long composite portrait series of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, Emmet Gowin's intimate photographs of his wife Edith, and Lucas Samaras's manipulated Polaroid self-portraits.
The exhibition covers an impressive timeline, extending from William Henry Fox Talbot's experiments with early photographic technology in the mid-19th century to JoAnn Verburg's immersive depictions of natural landscapes in the early 21st century. This broad scope reflects Gayle Greenhill's wide-ranging curiosity and passion for photography in all its forms.
This presentation marks the first time works from the Gayle Greenhill Collection have been displayed publicly. The significance of Robert Greenhill's gift extends beyond this exhibition, as it has also established the Gayle Greenhill Endowment Fund to support future exhibitions and acquisitions by MoMA's Department of Photography, ensuring a lasting impact on the museum's collection.
"This exhibition and its accompanying publication reflect the spirit of curiosity and exploration that defined Gayle Greenhill's passion for photography," remarked curator Lucy Gallun. "We are honored to offer audiences different photographic experiences – and the encouragement to travel among them – in the first public presentation of the remarkable gift made by Robert F. Greenhill in Gayle's memory. The collection is rich with iconic works and unexpected discoveries, and it makes a lasting contribution to the Museum's photography program – one that will continue to inspire future generations."
The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive, richly illustrated catalog featuring 44 full-page plates and more than 50 contextualizing images. The 136-page hardcover publication includes an introduction by Lucy Gallun and five focused essays by Samuel Allen, Kaitlin Booher, Lee Ann Daffner, Gallun, and Rachel Rosin that invite extended contemplation of individual photographs. Shorter texts by Allen, Booher, and Casey Li accompany each of the remaining plates, providing insights into the ideas, processes, and circumstances behind these images. The catalog, priced at $45 with ISBN 978-1-63345-182-7, is published by The Museum of Modern Art and is available at MoMA stores and online. It is distributed through ARTBOOK|D.A.P. in the United States and Canada, and through Thames & Hudson internationally.
