Aperture’s new home reflects the non-profit’s commitment to ‘a democratic medium’
The publisher of photography books and magazines inaugurates its new street-level space, complete with a bookstore and gallery, on the Upper West Side this month
Aperture, a non-profit organization that champions photography, has returned to its new headquarters on September 18th. The 10,000-square-foot space occupies the ground floor and lower level of a historic building at the intersection of 78th Street and Columbus Avenue in New York's Upper West Side. The new location features a bookstore, gallery space for exhibitions, public programming, staff offices, and a commons area, providing Aperture with enhanced visibility and stability.
Executive Director Sarah Meister highlights the shift from their previous location, noting that the new arrangement will cater to both serious photographers and the general public, such as families with young children. Founded in 1952 by a group of influential photographers, including Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Barbara Morgan, and Minor White, Aperture began as a quarterly magazine in Berkeley, California.
After moving to Rochester, New York, the organization expanded its operations to include photography book publishing. In 1985, Aperture relocated to New York City, eventually settling in a Chelsea townhouse before moving to a rental space in Chelsea in 2005, which they downsized in 2019. The non-profit's new location was made possible through a $25 million capital campaign, with nearly 70% of the funds raised.
Designed by Levenbetts and built by Sciame, the headquarters retains the building's original architectural elements, such as weathered brick walls and fireplaces. For its inaugural exhibition, "Aperture Loves New York," Meister has selected 24 photographers deeply connected to the city, including Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, Dawoud Bey, Carrie Mae Weems, and Nan Goldin.
The gallery will showcase one framed print by each photographer, alongside their corresponding Aperture publications. Public events, including conversations with exhibition photographers, will take place in the adjacent bookstore, which will also feature new publications by Tina Barney, Alex Webb, and Elle Pérez, as well as Aperture's extensive backlist of books, the quarterly magazine, limited-edition prints, and artist collaborations.
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