At the Heinz History Center, photographs often play a supporting role in exhibitions dominated by artifacts, such as uniforms or jeeps from World War II.
That changes today when images chosen from nearly 1 million pictures in the museum’s archives take center stage in “#Pixburgh: A Photographic Experience,” an exhibition that runs through Aug. 20 at the Strip District museum (www.heinzhistorycenter.org).
Senior curator Leslie Przybylek said the popularity of sharing images on social media was one reason for the exhibition. Once photos became widely available in the 19th century, “they allowed you to memorialize a piece of your legacy or your family’s legacy,” she said.
By 1841, Pittsburgh had a photo business owned by a Mr. Moore and Mr. Howard, who advertised in May of that year that they were located at Mrs. White’s boarding house at Liberty and Fourth, Downtown. Dr. W.M. Wright also advertised photographic services in the spring of 1841. Neither business lasted, Ms. Przybylek said.
Daguerreotypes, popular in the 1840s and ’50s, made it possible for more people to have their portrait taken by a photographer. The Kodak box camera, launched in 1888, allowed anyone to take up to 100 photographs.
The exhibition explores why people take photos, what subjects they choose and what appealed to local photographers between 1850 through 1960. Subjects include ethnic festivals, factories and mills, leisure, landmarks, and “best friends,” which focuses on people and their dogs.
An immersive video theater offers a 12-minute presentation with wall-sized projections of 56 photos that show changes in Pittsburgh. Viewers are asked to identify what is in the image and its location. The show also features 10 photo murals in five main galleries on the first floor.
Admission to the show is free with regular admission: $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $6.50 for military, students with school ID and children ages 6-17, and free for history center members and children age 5 and under.
Marylynne Pitz: mpitz@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1648 or on Twitter: @mpitzpg.
First Published: December 17, 2016, 5:26 a.m.
