150 Photographs: Two Centuries of American Mining History

This exhibition—formally titled *Beneath the Surface: Mining and American Photography*—brings together 150 photographs that trace the visual record of resource extraction in the United States over nearly two centuries. From early daguerreotypes of California gold miners to contemporary inkjet prints by artists such as Cara Romero and David Maisel, the show examines how photographers have documented the people, landscapes, and machinery behind mining, drilling, and fracking—industries that often operate out of sight. Organized by the National Gallery of Art, the exhibition highlights a range of motivations, from documentary and journalistic to artistic and environmental, and includes works by well-known photographers such as Edward Weston, Richard Avedon, Milton Rogovin, Jack Delano, and Mitch Epstein.

Name: Beneath the Surface: Mining and American Photography (listed as "150 Photographs: Two Centuries of American Mining History")
Venue: National Gallery of Art, West Building, Main Floor, Gallery M74
Address: 6th and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565
Dates: May 23 through August 23, 2026
Admission: Free; no passes required
Hours: Open daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Sculpture Garden open late until 8:00 p.m. on select nights through September 5)
Description: Nearly two centuries of American photographs bear witness to the people and places that power our lives, revealing how we extract resources from the earth and the impact on people and the planet. The exhibition explores the variety of approaches and motivations behind these images, including works by contemporary artists.
Selected Artists/Works: Jack Delano (*Anthracite Coal Mine Near Pottsville, Pennsylvania*, 1938); Cara Romero (*Oil Boom*, 2015, printed 2023); American 19th Century (*Portrait of a California gold miner with pick and shovel*, c. 1855 daguerreotype); Mitch Epstein (*Amos Coal Power Plant, Raymond City, West Virginia 2004*, printed 2025); Milton Rogovin (*Doris McKinney, Republic Steel*, 1978–1979); Edward Weston (*Gulf Oil–Pt. Arthur*, 1941); Richard Avedon (*Tom Stroud, oil field worker, Velma, Oklahoma, June 12, 1980*); David Maisel (*American Mine, Carlin, Nevada 1*, 2007, printed 2024)
Curators: Diane Waggoner, acting head and curator of photographs at the National Gallery of Art, and Kristen Gaylord, Herzfeld Curator of Photography and Media Arts at the Milwaukee Art Museum
Organization: Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington
Other Venues: Milwaukee Art Museum, October 23, 2026–January 18, 2027; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, February 14–May 9, 2027
Sponsors: Major support by the Center for Contemporary Documentation; leadership support from the Trellis Charitable Fund; additional support from Nion McEvoy and Leslie Berriman
Note: The exhibition is accompanied by a series of film screenings (separate registration required) on select Saturdays and Sundays in August 2026, including *Giant*, *Kameradschaft and Oil: A Symphony in Motion*, *Harlan County, USA*, and *The Miners' Hymns* with *Louisiana Story*.