The Photo Review 50th Anniversary Symposium
Celebrating Philadelphia's place in the history of photography and the role of The Photo Review in promoting photography locally and nationally over its 50-year existence.
OVERVIEW
Join us for The Photo Review 50th Anniversary Symposium at the Perelman Auditorium of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on May 29–30, 2026.
Registration is free.
Friday Evening – Keynote Lecture | 6 p.m.
The Museum’s Arnold Newman Lecture will serve as our keynote, delivered by Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Dr. Deborah Willis.
Register here for Deborah Willis: Reframing, Curating, Writing, and Imaging in Photography.
Saturday Sessions | 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Co-curated by Peter Barberie, Curator of Photographs at the PMA, and Stephen Perloff, founder and editor of The Photo Review, the Saturday sessions will:
- Set the stage for Philadelphia’s significance in photography through a discussion of the city’s stature in the 19th and early 20th centuries
- Examine the photography scene of the 1970s and early 1980s that spurred new galleries, academic programs, and a surge of artists – and The Photo Review’s place in that movement
- Highlight major issues addressed by The Photo Review over 50 years, its journalistic impact, and its influence on emerging artists’ careers
- Explore technological developments in the medium and changes in the market over the past 50 years
Registration
- Register here to attend the Saturday Sessions in-person.
- Register here to attend the Saturday Sessions virtually via Zoom.
- Donations are appreciated.
Boxed Lunches
The symposium will follow a tight schedule, so ordering a boxed lunch is highly recommended. Order here.
Accessibility
The Perelman Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. American Sign Language interpretation is available upon request – please contact us at symposium@photoreview.org.
More Questions?
Check out these FAQs.
SCHEDULE
Date: May 29–30, 2026
Location: Perlman Building, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2525 Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Friday, May 29, 2026
6:00 p.m. – Keynote Lecture | Register here
Reframing, Curating, Writing, and Imaging in Photography
Dr. Deborah Willis University Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University | MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow
Saturday, May 30, 2026 | Register to attend in-person or virtually via Zoom
9:30–10:15 – Opening Discussion: The Founding of The Photo Review and the Founding of the PMA’s Photography Department
Peter Barberie, Brodsky Curator of Photographs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Stephen Perloff, Founder and Editor of The Photo Review
10:15–11:30 – Session One: The Historical Context of Photography in Philadelphia
The History of Photography in Philadelphia in the 19th Century
Rachel Wetzel, historian and noted conservator
From the Museum School to the Explosion of Photography Departments at Philadelphia-area Colleges and Universities in the 1970s
Sid Sachs, former Director, Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, University of the Arts
11:30–11:45 – Break
11:45–1:00 – Session Two: The Photo Scene in Philadelphia and Beyond Over the Last 50 Years
Paul Cava, photographer, former gallery owner, and photography dealer
Doug Mellor, photographer, former gallery director, and photography dealer
Sarah Morthland, appraiser and former gallery owner
1:00–2:00 – Lunch
On your own or order a box lunch here.
2:00–3:00 – Session Three: The Photo Review’s Support of Photographers and Photography
Andrea Modica, photographer and former photography professor, Drexel University
William Earle Williams, photographer and Audrey A. and John L. Dusseau Professor in Humanities; Professor of Fine Arts and Curator of Photography, Haverford College
3:00–3:15 – Break
3:15–4:30 – Session Four: Changes in Photography and the Photography Market over 50 Years
Aimee Pflieger, writer, lecturer, and Senior Specialist in Photography, Sotheby’s
Robert Gurbo, President, Board of the André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation
Janet Borden, owner, Janet Borden Gallery, New York
4:30–5:00 – Closing Discussion and Q&A: The Photo Review Over 50 Years
A.D. Coleman, photography critic and author of eight books and more than 2,500 essays on photography
Stephen Perloff, Founder and Editor of The Photo Review
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