The Annenberg Space for Photography in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles is permanently closing its doors after initially shutting them in mid-March due to the spread of novel coronavirus.
For more than a decade, the Annenberg Space for Photography, created by founder Wallis Annenberg, has displayed a range of culturally relevant photography exhibitions and been visited by over a million patrons.
Past exhibitions and programs include: Who Shot Rock & Roll; Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop; National Geographic’s Photo Ark; Refugee; Generation Wealth; Identity: A Study of Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality and Ethnicity in America; and it’s most recent, Vanity Fair: Hollywood Calling.
It was announced on Monday via a press release that the space will not reopen due to the uncertainty surrounding state-mandated social distancing regulations; instead founders will focus on philanthropy via the Annenberg Foundation.
“It’s been a joy to share my favorite art from with the Los Angeles community for these ten wonderful years,” Annenberg said via the release. “Because a photograph does much more than capture what’s in front of us. It captures what’s deep inside us, the trials and triumphs the naked eye rarely sees. That’s why the Annenberg Space has been so meaningful to me, and to everyone who’s been a part of it. We’ve staged some extraordinary exhibits; we’ve showcased some astonishing work; we’ve highlighted some critical issues. As hard as this moment is, I’m proud that we made so much stirring work so accessible.”
Though the physical space is closed, Annenberg said the foundation will continue to support the arts and build upon its commitment to social and economic justice issues. Tours through past exhibitions, archived interviews, audio tours and more will continue to live on through annenbergphotospace.org.
