Tacoma Art Museum, in collaboration with Minor Matters, will open an exhibition of the work of Northwest photographer Charles Peterson on October 5, 2024. Charles Peterson’s Nirvana highlights the dynamic energy of Peterson’s black-and-white photographs, which have become synonymous with the sounds, styles, movement and attitude known as grunge.
Charles Peterson was born in Longview, Washington, and is internationally known for his photographs of the Seattle music scene of the late ‘80s and ’90s. He began capturing photographs while a student at Bothell High School, and then went on to study photography at the University of Washington, where he first met as friends many of his future subjects. Peterson’s distinct visual style and early work for Sub Pop Records became an important signifier of the phenomenon known as grunge.
His photographs have been featured in numerous publications, as well as exhibited in group and solo exhibitions around the world. They are included in many private collections and the permanent collections of the Seattle Art Museum.
“Photography is still underrepresented in many contemporary art spheres. Music photography in particular is often dismissed as being more about its subjects than the unique specificities and artistry of how they are seen by a particular practitioner. The approach to Charles Peterson’s most recent publication, and now this exciting exhibition opening at Tacoma Art Museum with the goal of traveling thereafter, centers the relationship between his photography and the music of Nirvana, a short-lived yet iconic contributor to the culture of the late 20th century,” says Michelle Dunn Marsh of Minor Matters.
Charles Peterson’s Nirvana will be on view at TAM from October 5, 2024 to May 25, 2025. The exhibition is based on Charles Peterson’s Nirvana Showcases Dynamic Photography at Tacoma Art Museum the forthcoming publication Charles Peterson’s Nirvana (Minor Matters, 2024). “People will see and feel Charles Peterson’s ability to capture the emotional power of a live music performance within a thoughtfully composed photograph. While depicting a very specific moment in time, these works vibrate with the enduring energy of the music itself. Charles Peterson’s Nirvana is an exhibition that will resonate with fans of music and of photography alike,” says Andy Maus, TAM Executive Director.
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Tacoma Art Museum
tacomaartmuseum.org
BY MORGAN MARICI