Woman with broom and mop in front of American Flag
Gordon Parks (American, 1912–2006). American Gothic (Portrait of Ella Watson), Washington, DC, 1942. Gelatin silver print, 13 x 9 1/8 in. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Promised Gift from the Judy Glickman Lauder Collection, 3.2016.8. © The Gordon Parks Foundation
Mother looking worried with her children hugging her
Dorothea Lange (American, 1895–1965). Migrant Mother (Florence Owens Thompson), Nipomo, California, 1936. Gelatin silver print mounted on board, 13 1/4 x 10 1/8 in. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Promised Gift from the Judy Glickman Lauder Collection, 7.1998.38
Martin Luther King standing in a crowd
Steve Schapiro (American, 1934–2022). Martin Luther King Jr., Selma, Alabama, 1965. Gelatin silver print, 18 7/8 x 12 3/4 in. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Promised Gift from the Judy Glickman Lauder Collection, 10.2010.8. © Steve Schapiro. Courtesy Monroe Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.

From Avedon to Parks: Masterpieces of 20th-century photography come to Sarasota Art Museum

“Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder” showcases a century of iconic images capturing humanity, struggle and triumph

Sarasota, Florida — Experience photographs by some of the 20th century’s most influential photography titans up close and personal in “Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder” on view October 18, 2026–April 4, 2027 at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM). As one of only four venues in the country selected to host this prestigious traveling exhibition, Sarasota Art Museum will showcase approximately 100 striking photographs by more than 50 artists, including Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Danny Lyon and Gordon Parks.

“This collection features some of the biggest names in photography from the past century, and we are thrilled to bring artworks of this caliber to Sarasota,” shared Virginia Shearer, executive director of Sarasota Art Museum.

Drawn entirely from the collection of photographer, philanthropist and humanitarian Judy Glickman Lauder, the exhibition explores French theorist Roland Barthes’ concept of photographs as “certificates of presence” — tangible proof that a specific person, place or moment existed. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to stand face-to-face with era-defining images that capture the full spectrum of the human experience — from the hardships of the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement to profound moments of intimacy and wonder.

James Karales (American, 1930–2002). Selma to Montgomery March, Alabama, 1965. Gelatin silver print, 12 7/8 x 19 1/8 in.
Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Promised Gift from the Judy Glickman Lauder Collection, 4.2015. © Estate of James Karales, Courtesy Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.

“Museum visitors will have the chance to see famous photographs they recognize up close and personal for perhaps the very first time,” continued Shearer. “For example, Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” (1936), picturing a woman flanked by her two young children during the Great Depression, is one of the most iconic and recognizable photographs in the world. Visitors will be able to experience this arresting image, regarded as the most popular social documentary photography of all time, right here at SAM, among many others.”

“Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder” is organized into seven thematic sections, sparking unexpected emotional dialogues across different eras and styles. Those sections include: Portraits, Affection and Admiration; Expressing the Land; Specters of History; Labor, Justice and Dignity; Joy, Delight, and the Serendipitous; Vibrant Cities; and Politics, Hope and Despair.

Alongside striking portraits of cultural icons like Audrey Hepburn, Elton John, Martin Luther King Jr. and Marilyn Monroe, the exhibition features intimate photographs of profound historical significance. Visitors are invited to reflect on moments of the world-changing past, including images documenting the Birmingham riots of 1963, Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965, and the infamous Auschwitz camp. Contrastingly, the collection also shines a light on the levity and joys of human life, capturing cheerful photographs of children playing, a lovers’ embrace and even a humorous moment featuring a llama riding in a taxi in Times Square.

“Eclectic is a word that certainly comes to mind when thinking about the wide range of subject matter captured and on display in this moving showcase,” shared SAM’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Lacie Barbour. “The human experience is not singular and it’s not simple. This exhibition documents that truth and says, ‘we were here — in all of these ways, we were here.’”

Woman at a pool club posing with two men playing pool in the background
Melonie Bennett (American, b. 1969). Suzie, Bahama Beach Club, Portland, Maine, 1996.
Gelatin silver print, 16 x 20 in. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Promised Gift from the Judy Glickman Lauder Collection, 25.2001.1. Courtesy of the artist.

“Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder” will be on display at Southampton Arts Center in Southampton, New York, from July 25–September 27, 2026. After its Sarasota presentation, the show will continue to Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina, where it will be on view from May 28–August 29, 2027, before traveling to Lowe Art Museum in Miami from September 30, 2027–February 26, 2028.

“Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder” is co-organized by the Portland Museum of Art, Maine, and the American Federation of Arts. This exhibition is generously supported by an anonymous donor with additional support by Ellen and Robert Grimes. AFA exhibitions are made possible by the generosity of Monique Schoen Warshaw. The exhibition is curated by Anjuli Lebowitz, PhD, Judy Glickman Lauder Curator of Photography, Portland Museum of Art, Maine.

This exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum is made possible, in part, with generous support from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and The Exchange. Special thanks to our media sponsors Sarasota Magazine and WUSF.

About Sarasota Art Museum

Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) is the city’s only museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Founded in 2019, SAM features an ever-rotating lineup of world-class exhibitions, dynamic programs, and enriching educational offerings, and serves as a creative gathering place for curious minds from across the Gulf Coast, Southeast United States, and beyond. Housed in the historic former Sarasota High School, the Museum has revitalized and reimagined the towering landmark and architectural treasure, connecting Sarasota’s past with its present. Today, SAM is home to 15,000 square feet of gallery exhibition space, where nationally touring shows, as well as curated and commissioned exhibits by both renowned and emerging artists, deepen visitors’ appreciation for 20th- and 21st-century art. More at SarasotaArtMuseum.org

About American Federation of Arts

The American Federation of Arts is the leader in traveling exhibitions internationally. A nonprofit organization founded in 1909, the AFA is dedicated to enriching the public’s experience and understanding of the visual arts through organizing and touring art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishing exhibition catalogues featuring important scholarly research and developing educational programs.

About Portland Museum of Art

The Portland Museum of Art, located blocks from the working waterfront in Maine’s largest city, seeks to tell multifaceted stories through art. From free school tours, family activities, curator talks and tours of the Winslow Homer Studio — it’s all happening at the PMA.