Hasta La Ideas

The International Center of Photography has acquired the entire archive of photographer Roman Vishniac (1897-1990), best known for documenting Jewish communities of Eastern Europe on the brink of World War II. The vast collection—which includes vintage prints, negatives, contact sheets, correspondence, and recently discovered film footage—was donated by Vishniac’s daughter in recognition of her father’s long-standing friendship with ICP founder Cornell Capa. “This is one of the most important acquisitions in the thirty-five year history of the International Center of Photography,” said ICP director Willis Hartshorn in a statement. “We look forward to sharing this extraordinary gift with our audience through exhibitions, publications, and online access.” ICP adjunct curator Maya Benton, an art historian specializing in documentary photography of Jewish life in Eastern and Central Europe, is directing the processing of the archive and organizing a major retrospective exhibition of Vishniac’s work slated to open at the ICP in 2012. See a selection of photos from the archive here.

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