The Annenberg Foundation, a philanthropic powerhouse that supports nonprofit institutions, is planning to launch an exhibition space for photography in Century City. Conceived as a cultural center with broad public appeal, the Annenberg Space for Photography will open next spring near the former site of the Shubert Theatre.
The new facility is under construction in a one-story building designed to fulfill Los Angeles' "percent for art" requirement for commercial developments. The 10,000-square-foot structure, flanked by office high-rises and the outdoor plaza known as Century Park, will house a digital projection gallery along with a more traditional display area for prints and a classroom, workshop and library.
The exhibition program will present a variety of aesthetic sensibilities, according to the foundation, but emphasize images that express its mission "to improve the well-being of the community through the exchange of ideas and new ways of thinking." With no plans to collect photographs, the foundation -- which moved its Los Angeles headquarters from Westwood to Century City a few years ago -- will show works lent by artists, photojournalists and documentarians as well as samplings from collections of museums and media organizations in exhibitions organized by guest curators.
"For me, it's the fulfillment of a lifelong dream," said Wallis Annenberg, who lives in Los Angeles and oversees, with her stepmother, Leonore Annenberg, and children, Lauren Bon and Charles and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, the foundation created by her late father, media magnate Walter H. Annenberg. "This will elevate photography to a new level and take it out of the academic realm of museums with all their politics and trustees. Photography is one of the most accessible art forms, and this will be an accessible space. We see it as a service to the community, where people can view the world through a different lens and think about making positive change.
"I love photography," Annenberg said. And the new project is the second manifestation of her passion to come to light in the last few weeks. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where she is a trustee, recently announced a gift from Annenberg and the foundation that allowed the museum to purchase a 3,500-piece collection of photos amassed by the late Marjorie and Leonard Vernon of Los Angeles and provided funds for a photography study room.
