Capturing the Significance Behind Infrastructure and Urban Spaces 

Colby College Museum of Art’s current exhibition features a collection of photographs capturing landscapes and urban spaces and the impacts of rapid modernization. The selected photographs from various artists highlight human intervention in landscapes: developmental advances within the world; the creation, construction, and ruin of urban spaces; and the environmental impacts seen along the way.

The City of Ambition exhibition urges visitors to look beyond infrastructure and explore earlier perspectives of the world. The images ask guests to understand how these structures are impacting life today, and to consider whether or not these spaces create a sense of community or express cultural and social values.

The presentation of photographs comes from some of the earliest, most prominent photographers across the world. While each photographer was influential in his or her own way, every one of them strove to capture the relationship between humans and their surrounding landscapes. Some of the artists featured in the exhibition include Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Berenice Abbott, Imogen Cunningham, Richard Misrach, and Alfred Stieglitz. The name of the exhibition comes from Alfred Stieglitz’s iconic photograph City of Ambition, which is available for viewing at the museum.

City of Ambition will remain on display until September 16th. Located in the Gourley Gallery, the exhibition is free and open to the public. Guests are welcome to visit Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. On the following pages, Maine Home+Design provides a preview of the exhibition.