A Woman of Intent

Inge Morath (1923, Austria – 2002, New York) ranks among the most important photography artists of the twentieth century. To mark the centenary of her birth, the Photography Forum of the Aachen City Region pays tribute to Morath’s internationally renowned oeuvre with a comprehensive exhibition, spanning the decades from 1944–1998. 

In the history of photography, there have been few artists who have captured life’s nuances as concisely as Inge Morath. The exhibition (which was organised in collaboration with Fotohof and the Museum of Modern Art in Salzburg) features numerous outstanding works created in Austria, Italy, China and New York, amongst others. 

Inge Morath was one of the first female photographers to join the legendary Magnum agency. Her reportages were frequently published in international magazines and photo books, and took the multi-lingual photographer all across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA. A large part of the current exhibition is dedicated to the images she created on these travels, and her visible fascination for the diversity of the landscapes and the people she encountered. At the same time, the presentation highlights Morath’s gift as a sensitive portraitist, with the ability to show famous personalities, as well as ordinary people, in a way that conveyed exactly how she saw them.