April 19, 2025 - Saturday - Today we were in Riverside, CA to visit the California Museum of Photography. Their latest exhibit is called "Lost in the Wilderness: Ansel Adams in the 1960s." The museum's catalogue states that "Ansel Adams lost his way. The great American photographer stood at the summit of his life, renowned, celebrated. Then came the 1960s: the civil rights movement, the counterculture, free love, psychedelics, assassinations, Vietnam War protests, marches, and chaos. Even more traumatically for the country’s preeminent photographer, photography itself changed beneath him. We see a great photographer off-balance. We witness an artist swimming hard against the tide of relentless change."
The University of California commissioned Adams for their "Fiat Lux" (Let There Be Light) project. Ansel took six years to visit all of the UC campuses documenting the life and activities of the UC system. His contract stated that he was to turn over 1,000 images for the project. When finished he turned in 7,500 images. The problem was that Ansel never photographed people or animals, he only photographed nature. This period of his life could also be called "A Fish Out of Water."
When he snapped this one, the camera caught him inspecting his camera.
Here he was caught again.
The only photograph in the exhibit displaying the "Ansel Adams style" is this one of the UC campus in Irvine.
Before the museum we had brunch at our Riverside favorite, Tio's Tacos.
Judy had their cheese enchiladas with Mole sauce and rice and beans.
I had my usual shrimp with garlic sauce and rice and beans.
Sometimes the lunch is the adventure.
