About the Collection

RiseUP! is a photography collection covering a broad world view of history - from agricultural and industrial progress, to themes of social change and nonviolent protest. The Wilson Garling Collection is granting access to these photographs in an effort to foster conversation, evoke engagement and stir human connection.

This gallery presents only a small selection of highlights from the collection. It serves as an introduction to RiseUP! which has been assembled over the last twenty years and will continue to grow and be refined as relevant photographs become available. The collection provides a stunning visual record of countless historic events that shaped our world. Photography is presented with their original press captions giving further insight into the moment.

About the Collectors

Jill Garling and Tom Wilson are active participants in civic life in Chicago, investing in education, human rights and arts initiatives at the city and national level.  Their home gallery displays artworks by contemporary artists such as Sarah Sze, Antonia Contro, Admire Kamundzengerere and Kyle Meyer as well as significant modern works from Isamu Noguchi and Sadaharu Horio. 

In addition to fine art, the Wilson-Garling Collection houses an extensive and significant private collection of vintage and press photography. The collection contains close to 4,000 photographs, by more than 400 different photographers and distinguishes itself from other photography collections by primarily focusing on social justice initiatives. RiseUP! began organically, with Tom gravitating to images from Danny Lyon’s civil rights archive. As the collection grew, and the focus became clear, other social justice themes were acquired.   Today, the collection holds prints representing Workers’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Women’s rights, war protest and propaganda, Civil rights, displaced persons, prison reform, climate change, democracy and political development. It continues to grow centering on todays issues while also highlighting notable vintage prints from such photographic greats as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ilsa Bing, David ‘Chim’ Seymore, Todd Webb, Arthur Rothstein, Dorthea Lange, Leonard Freed, Gordon Parks, Gordon Coster, Ken Heyman, and Tina Modotti.

The power of RiseUP! resides in its ability to teach historic events through the camera lens. By giving access to these images, the Wilson Garling Collection hopes to achieve greater visibility and provide the means to share the collection as a tool for education.

Contact

Michele Heftman - Curator / Collections Manager

michele@thewilson-garlingcollection.org

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