Beneath the Surface: Mining and American Photography

Dependent on precious metals from its inception, photography has always been intertwined with the natural resources that are fundamental to modern industrialized life. 

Beneath the Surface: Mining and American Photography is the first exhibition to exclusively examine how photographers from the mid-19th century to today have powerfully captured the effects of resource extraction on the land and communities of the United States. 

Featuring approximately 150 photographs that span 185 years, this exhibition focuses on the subterranean removal of the minerals and fossil fuels that power this country’s economy and industry. Together, these works demonstrate how photographers have drawn on changing technology and unique visual strategies to rise to the challenge of picturing these colossal industries.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website