MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades

The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP) proudly announces its 2026 exhibition, MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades, on view from January 22 through May 16, 2026.

This year marks a major milestone: MoCP celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since opening its doors in 1976 and beginning acquisitions in 1979, the museum has amassed a collection of over 18,000 works by more than 2,000 artists, representing a rich spectrum of aesthetics, techniques, and photographic processes. Over the past five decades, MoCP has established itself as a cornerstone of contemporary photography, providing a vital platform for dialogue across cultural, social, and political landscapes and shaping how photography is understood, studied, and appreciated worldwide.

MoCP at Fifty offers a retrospective exploration of the museum’s evolving approach to building a dynamic, forward-looking collection. The exhibition showcases a broad selection of works, from newly acquired pieces to rarely exhibited gems, inviting reflection on the role that cultural institutions play in shaping the photographic canon. Each of the museum’s five galleries represents a decade of collecting, beginning with the most recent acquisitions (2016–2026) in the first gallery and moving backward in time, creating a visual journey through MoCP’s history.

“Over fifty years, MoCP has assembled a collection that mirrors shifting cultural, political, and visual histories,” said Karen Irvine, Chief Curator and Deputy Director. “This exhibition offers a moment to reflect on our stewardship, recognizing that every photograph in our care participates in a larger conversation about how images influence our understanding of the world.”

Examining MoCP’s collection decade by decade highlights not only the history of photography as an art form, but also the broader evolution of cultural values and institutional priorities. Early decades reveal notable absences of women and artists of color—not due to a lack of work, but because photographic institutions at the time had yet to embrace a truly inclusive perspective. Later acquisitions demonstrate a deliberate effort to address these gaps, incorporating conceptual works and experimental approaches that expand and challenge traditional definitions of photography. In doing so, MoCP has continually redefined what a photography museum can offer the public, championing diversity, innovation, and critical engagement.

The exhibition presents over 100 works from MoCP’s collection, featuring iconic and influential artists including Joel Sternfeld (American, b. 1944), Barbara Crane (American, 1928–2019), Matthew Finley (American, b. 1972), Carrie Mae Weems (American, b. 1953), Yasuhiro Ishimoto (Japanese American, 1921–2012), Dayanita Singh (Indian, b. 1961), Bob Thall (American, b. 1948), Carlotta Corpron (American, 1901–1988), among many others.

Celebrating fifty years of collecting, MoCP at Fifty underscores the museum’s enduring impact on the photographic world, honoring its past while looking forward to the next decades of discovery, innovation, and inspiration in contemporary photography.






Museum and Exhibition Support:
MoCP is supported by Columbia College Chicago, MoCP Advisory Board, Museum Council, individuals, private and corporate foundations, and government grants.

The 2025–2026 exhibition season is sponsored in part by the Comer Family Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, Henry Nias Foundation, the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation, the Rowan Foundation, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, United States Artists, and Venable Foundation.

MoCP acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. This project is supported in part by a CityArts Grant from the city of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

This exhibition is generously supported through the David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Impact Fund for Photography.
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