Jeremy Mikolajczak The Sybil Harrington Director and Chief Executive Officer | Phoenix Art Museum
Jeremy Mikolajczak The Sybil Harrington Director and Chief Executive Officer | Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix Art Museum is set to present a new exhibition titled "Funny Business: Photography and Humor," opening in June 2025. The exhibition will showcase over 70 photographs that explore the role of comedy throughout the history of photography. The works, primarily from the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, feature artists such as John Baldessari, Zig Jackson, Helen Levitt, William Wegman, and Garry Winogrand.
The exhibition will run from June 14, 2025, to January 4, 2026. It aims to highlight how artists have used visual humor not only to entertain but also as a form of resistance and a way to challenge societal norms. "Funny Business" includes various comedic styles like slapstick, irony, absurdism, satire, self-deprecation, and parody through vernacular snapshots and contemporary works.
Jeremy Mikolajczak, Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum said: “As the first original exhibition from Emilia Mickevicius... Funny Business: Photography and Humor embodies a creative... approach to viewing photography from a new perspective.”
The exhibition is divided into four thematic sections:
1. **All the World’s a Stage** - Focuses on slapstick and observational comedy with early 20th-century prints.
2. **Inside Jokes** - Highlights the evolution of photography in the 1970s when it gained recognition as an art form.
3. **Context is Everything** - Explores how images can become ironic or nonsensical outside their original context.
4. **Comic Relief** - Features contemporary artists using humor critically or subversively.
Emilia Mickevicius stated: “In my practice... I am always looking for ways to make photography more accessible... Humor is a fun and approachable lens for visitors.”
Admission details include free entry for museum members and specific groups with reduced rates during certain hours supported by SRP and City of Phoenix.
The exhibition is co-organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography (CCP). CCP celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 as North America's largest institution devoted to photography research and exhibitions.
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