In the Heart of the Wild

Born in 1869, Ann Brigman moved to Los Gatos when she was 16 years old. She first studied painting, but soon gravitated to photography. Brigman’s lens focused on the rugged landscapes of California and the female body, which resulted in new ways to explore feminine identity.

With her photography Brigman achieved immediate success as a Pictorialist, belonging to the Camera Club of San Francisco and the Photo-Secession group, led by Alfred Steiglitz in New York. Brigman lived an active life, exploring territories that were literally and figuratively unfamiliar to many women of her time. She exhibited nationally and abroad, was published both as an artist in the photo journal Camera Work, and as a poet in her book Songs of A Pagan. All of her work – photography, graphic works and poetry – reveal a love of nature, a connection to the mystical and an element of freedom.

This exhibit serves as an introduction to the life and work Anne Brigman, a locally connected and globally relevant artist. It highlights selected people and groups that were important in forming her circle of inspiration and influence to make lasting contributions to the history of photography.