Synopses & Reviews
The Center for Creative Photography, located in Arizona, is home to one of the largest and most eclectic photographic collections in the world. This publication offers a virtual guided tour of the center's extensive holdings, including a visit through the archives of some of the 20th century's most important North American photographers. With more than 20 essays providing scholarly commentary on artists' books, 19th-century travel photography, early 20th-century travel albums, and the CCP's collections of French, German, Japanese, Mexican, and Spanish photography, Original Sources is the most comprehensive introduction to one of photography's most treasured repositories. For over 25 years, the CCP's mission as a museum and research center has been to collect, preserve, make accessible, exhibit, interpret, and encourage the study of photographs and other materials of importance to the history and practice of photography. In May 1975, the CCP was established through the purchase of five photographers' archives: Ansel Adams', Wynn Bullock's, Harry Callahan's, Aaron Siskind's, and Frederick Sommer's. While these and future archives focused on 20th-century American photography, the print collection was quickly developed to represent the larger history of photography as well as international practice. Collection development continues at a rate of one to three new archives per year, providing the centerpiece holdings to a now large and diverse representation of the art of photography.