From its inception in the 1820s, photography has become the most popular medium for artistic expression. Today, photographs are everywhere, whether made with a smartphone or encountered online, at home, in magazines—or here, in an art museum. Photography’s power is undeniable: photographs communicate what words cannot.

This thematically organized exhibition draws from Mia’s vast and varied collection of approximately 12,500 photographs. Together, they form a constellation of photographic visions and practices that extend across numerous places and points in time, revealing a multiplicity of histories, techniques, and perspectives. One of the first art museums in the United States to collect photography—since 1965—Mia continues to expand its collection. This exhibition also showcases many recent acquisitions and promised gifts that provide new connections and insights.