PHILIP MONTGOMERY AMERICAN CYCLES

The Mexican-American photographer Philip Montgomery (b. 1988) is known for his documentary work portraying society in the United States – its conflicts and alliances – through iconic black-and-white images. Whether Montgomery is working in Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd or in Miami during Hurricane Irma, his photographs are characterized by a palpable tension between the timelessness of his dramatic visual language and the urgent narrative of the moment. With AMERICAN CYCLES, PHOXXI – the Temporary House of Photography at the Deichtorhallen Hamburg – presents Montgomery’s first major institutional solo exhibition.

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From Donald Trump’s first populist campaign to the Black Lives Matter movement, and from natural disasters fueled by a changing climate to economic crises and their impact on communities, the exhibition presents more than 100 works spanning 2014 to the present. Including Montgomery’s portraits of political and culture figures, and his investigation of political networks and newly emerging social movements.

For Montgomery, documentary photography is never synonymous with emotional restraint or supposed neutrality. He reveals the realities of American life – immediate and unposed, yet transformed by his distinct aesthetic. Through his use of flash and dynamic visual composition, Montgomery discovers unsettling connections and a fragile, often surreal beauty.

AMERICAN CYCLES offers a rare insight into a decade of American history marked by political upheaval and the resurgence of social and ethnic conflict. At the same time, it captures the unbroken power of solidarity and community.

Curated by Nadine Isabelle Henrich, Curator of the House of Photography

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