Industry
SUMMARY
The National Gallery of Art in Washington is hosting 'Beneath the Surface,' the first exhibition dedicated to the US industrial natural resource extraction industry, showcasing approximately 150 images from 100 photographers over 185 years. The collection spans from mid-1800s daguerreotypes to 20th-century industrialization, featuring works by notable photographers like Dorothea Lange and Lewis Hine. The exhibition aims to reveal the hidden relationship between photographers, often working in difficult environments, and the documentation of industrial resource extraction, while also acknowledging the irony that these industries are essential for camera production. 'Beneath the Surface' is free and will be on view at the National Gallery of Art until August 23, 2026, before touring to other museums.
TAKEAWAYS
Exhibition 'Beneath the Surface' covers 185 years of US mining and resource extraction.
Features 150 photos from 100 photographers, including Dorothea Lange and Lewis Hine.
Highlights photographers working in challenging industrial and remote conditions.
On display at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, until August 23, 2026.