The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its renowned New Photography series with the launch of New Photography 2025: Lines of Belonging. The exhibition explores the concept of belonging and community in a world increasingly defined by connections and shared histories.
A Landmark Anniversary
Since its debut in 1985, New Photography has introduced more than 150 innovative artists to MoMA’s audiences, positioning the series as one of the foremost platforms for contemporary photographic practices.
The latest iteration of the program’s exhibition, which opens on September 14, 2025, and runs through January 17, 2026, brings together the work of 13 international artists and collectives from four major global cities: Johannesburg, Kathmandu, New Orleans, and Mexico City. This milestone exhibition offers a diverse range of photographic work, featuring artists at various stages of their careers. Each artist presents distinct bodies of work that weave personal narratives with broader themes of colonial history, environmental change, and the social structures that shape our understanding of community.
Organized across three gallery spaces, the exhibition engages visitors in a reflection on the natural, artificial, and immaterial elements that define our interconnected lives. The works featured in New Photography 2025 explore everything from rivers and museums to family trees and archival materials, challenging the viewer to rethink how belonging and identity are constructed and remembered.
Key Works and Themes
One of the standout pieces in the exhibition is a site-specific installation from the Nepal Picture Library, titled The Public Life of Women: A Feminist Memory Project. This work draws on a digital archive that brings attention to the lived experiences of Nepali women, offering a rare and empowering look into their history.
Gabrielle Garcia Steib, based in New Orleans, takes a more personal approach by transforming family archives into moving images that reflect the connections between Latin America and the southern United States.
Other works in the exhibition delve into the themes of kinship and chosen families, reflecting on the resilience and inclusivity of social bonds. Gabrielle Goliath’s Berenice 29–39 (2022), a powerful photographic series, engages with the intersection of personal trauma and societal history.
The exhibition concludes with a vibrant group of images from Sandra Blow, whose photographs celebrate LGBTQ+ youth culture and the rich artistic community of Mexico City.
;Latin American and Caribbean Fund;© 2024 Sandra Blow
Curatorial Reflection on Solidarity and Kinship
Roxana Marcoci, MoMA’s Acting Chief Curator, highlights the exhibition’s focus on solidarity and kinship in today’s politically turbulent climate.
“The 40th anniversary of the New Photography program offers an opportunity for curatorial reflection on creative expressions of kinship and solidarity. This exhibition centers artists who sustain communities, drawing out connective threads that transcend borders and reflect a politics of care and everyday resilience,” says Marcoci.
Featured Artists and Collectives
New Photography 2025 showcases the work of a wide range of international talent, with artists hailing from Johannesburg, Kathmandu, New Orleans, and Mexico City. The exhibition includes Sandra Blow, Gabrielle Goliath, L Kasimu Harris, and Lebohang Kganye from Johannesburg; Tania Franco Klein and Lake Verea (a collective of Francisca Rivero-Lake and Carla Verea) from Mexico City; Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Prasiit Sthapit from Kathmandu; and Gabrielle Garcia Steib, Renee Royale, and Sabelo Mlangeni from New Orleans. Additionally, the Nepal Picture Library is featured for its vital work in documenting the lives of Nepali women.
These artists represent a diverse array of practices, from documentary and archival photography to experimental and conceptual art, offering fresh perspectives on the themes of memory, identity, and community.
Programming and Support
In conjunction with the exhibition, MoMA will host a Forum on Contemporary Photography on September 8, 2025, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. in the Celeste Bartos Theater. The event will feature contributions from the artists, providing further insights into their work and the themes explored in New Photography 2025.
Leadership support for the exhibition is provided by the William Randolph Hearst Endowment Fund for Photography and the Marion Silverstein Slain Fund, with major funding from The Contemporary Arts Council of MoMA and Agnes Gund through The International Council of MoMA. The Bloomberg Connects digital experience is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
A Global Conversation Through Photography
New Photography 2025: Lines of Belonging invites visitors to engage with the complex, transnational nature of belonging, identity, and community. The exhibition offers a space for reflection on how our collective histories shape our present and future, using photography as a medium to connect, challenge, and inspire. With works from a wide range of artists across the globe, the exhibition underscores the power of art to transcend borders and promote a deeper understanding of the world we share.
Image credits: MoMA, Individual artists as credited
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