Selected prints from the LIFE Magazine Collection (1936-2002) commemorated the golden age of the first American all-photographic magazine. 

LIFE’s photographers documented the most important events, memorable people and places in modern history. The exhibition will showcase the work of stellar names associated with the magazine, such as Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Eisenstaedt, John Dominis, John Loengard, Nina Leen, J.R. Eyerman, Andreas Feininger and Joseph Rosenthal, whose professional engagement in the events of the 20th century led to an epic form of photojournalism that captured both momentous and intimate moments with unparalleled perception.

LIFE Magazine was taken over by Henry Luce (founder of Time Magazine) in 1836, who transformed the publication from a humour and general-interest magazine to a weekly devoted to photojournalism. At one point, the magazine sold over 13.5 million copies a week worldwide. It was printed as an intermittent special from 1972-78 and then on a monthly

basis from 1978-2002. LIFE aimed to produce “big pictures, beautiful pictures, exciting pictures, pictures from all over the world, pictures of interesting people and lots of babies” (Henry Luce). The range of subject matter signified everything that constituted ‘life’, the day-to-day became heroic, while the glory of celebrity life and horror of war were brought to the public’s front doorstep.