My Morrin—Lecture:
Postmodern Art and Photography

As part of the My Morrin program, Peter Kloehn, a retired professor of art history and history of photography, offers a talk to explore how the medium was integral to the shift from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art and beyond.

Presenter Biography

Peter Kloehn, retired Professor of Art History and History of Photography

“I was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with an English major, I enlisted in the Army, teaching High School GED classes in Panama during my service. I later earned an MFA in Photography and Art from the California Institute of the Arts, which led to my first teaching job at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Over 35 years, I taught at Rutgers, Moore College of Art, SUNY Albany, Russel Sage College, the International Center of Photography, the School of Visual Arts, and New York University.

As a practicing photographer, I spent 30 years documenting the Altars of the African Diaspora in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Cuba, culminating in my book Altar Book. My work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of Davidson College and the Brooklyn Museum.

Teaching has been the pride of my career, and I’m deeply grateful for the many students I’ve had the privilege to mentor.”

Abstract

Peter Kloehn, a retired Professor at NYU and SVA, presents a lecture on the pivotal role of photography in the transition from Modernism to Postmodernism. As an art historian specializing in photography, Kloehn explores how the medium was integral to the shift from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art and beyond. Drawing from his personal experience as a witness to this cultural transformation, Kloehn reflects on his career’s intersection with key historical moments and figures.

His lecture also addresses the often-overlooked significance of photography as a transitional art form, offering a unique perspective on its critical role in shaping the broader history of art.

Keywords:  Modernism, Postmodernism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Photography