JULIUS SHULMAN'S LOS ANGELES
October 6, 2007 - January 27, 2008
Central Library - Getty Gallery

This exhibition, organized by the Getty Research Institute, features 150 rarely seen photographs from the Julius Shulman photography archive in the special collections of the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute.

The exhibition showcases Shulman's stunning architectural photographs, which serve as visual records of Los Angeles's dramatic evolution and document Shulman's love for Los Angeles, his home for the past 85 years.

Julius Shulman's Los Angeles features seven photographic narratives:

• the development of Bunker Hill;
• the development of Century City and its competition with Bunker Hill;
• the exotic architectural expressions of Los Angeles, such as Watts Towers, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and the Getty Villa;
• the growth of Wilshire Boulevard;
• the industrial engines at the Port of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles International Airport that powered the city's rapid growth;
• the city's diverse residential fabric from Echo Park to South L.A.;
• and Shulman's critical role in capturing and promoting innovative, sleek Case Study Houses, as well as cookie-cutter tract housing developments.

The exhibition also includes renderings of urban developments that are currently under way, allowing visitors to compare Shulman's historic photographic perspectives with images of Los Angeles's future.

The exhibition coincides with ArchiFest II, a monthlong celebration of architecture in Los Angeles, which takes place throughout October.

About Julius Shulman

Born in Brooklyn on October 10, 1910, Julius Shulman grew up on a Connecticut farm and moved to Los Angeles with his family at the age of ten. Photography went from a hobby to a professional occupation for Shulman in 1936, when he was exposed to modern architecture for the first time on a visit to Richard Neutra's Kun House in the Hollywood Hills. Neutra was so impressed with the six photos of the home that Shulman sent him as a gift that he immediately hired him to photograph additional projects, thereby launching an unanticipated, prolific career.

Shulman's images promoted the work of numerous visionary architects including Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, John Lautner, and Pierre Koenig. Decades after the initial prints were created, Shulman's scenes continue to herald the beauty and functionality of modern architecture and the glamour of the California dream.

At the age of 96, Shulman maintains a rigorous work schedule and still photographs buildings throughout the country with his business partner, Juergen Nogai.

More Information

• Central Library Information
• Related Events
• Julius Shulman Photography Archive (Getty)

Presented by the Getty Research Institute. Made possible by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. This exhibition is partially funded by Park Fifth.

Exhibits at the Central Library are made possible in part through a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.