click image to view online exhibition
Long Walks On The Beach
Artwork Title: Untitled snapshot #999
Artist: Unrecorded
1958, photographic print on paper, gift of Peter J Cohen
This found photograph from the collection of Peter J. Cohen was the top vote getter in UMMA's 2019 exhibition Take Your Pick: Collecting Found Photographs .bIt shows an interracial couple embracing on the beach in the summer of 1958, when such relationships were illegal in 24 US states. It was the same year Richard and Mildred Loving were arrested and charged with felonies for their interracial marriage, kicking off a legal battle that would end with the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court ruling that made interracial marriage legal across the United States.

Image #999 is just one of the 1,000 images from Take Your Pick depicting aspects of daily life and revealing the dynamic histories of amateur photography. In the exhibition, visitors could vote on their favorite photos, and Cohen donated the top 250 vote getters to UMMA's permanent collection. A new online exhibition for Take Your Pick is now available on UMMA's website.

Reflection Prompts:
  • What is it about amateur photography that allows people to more easily find themselves in or relate to the images? Why do you think photo #999 was the most popular image in the Take Your Pick exhibition?
  • The number of snapshots taken each year is now incalculably high thanks to digital technologies. How does the wide availability of photography impact the way we memorialize our experiences and connect with the world around us? Do you still print your photographs? Which ones, and why?
Behind the Scenes: What Makes A Good Picture?

Join collector Peter J. Cohen on a tour of his collection, and hear from Curator Jennifer Friess on the motivation behind Take Your Pick and the exhibition’s impact. Click play to watch the short video.
Finding Yourself In Anonymous Photos

Here, Jennifer Friess, Assistant Curator of Photography and curator for  Take Your Pick , reflects on the success of the exhibition with Jacob Ward, a U-M sophomore, UMMA’s Student Programs Assistant, and a member of UMMA’s Student Engagement Council.
Explore More - Online Exhibition
Explore the new Take Your Pick online exhibition to view the top vote getters and take deep dives on other themes, like the popular Paper Moon backgrounds and thoughts on changing the Museum acquisition process.
Support for Take Your Pick is provided by Cecilia and Mark Vonderheide and the University of Michigan Office of the Provost and Department of Film, Television, and Media.
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