Creating a Machine Civilization: Photography, Technology, and American Culture

Time: 4:00pm, Lecture at 5:30pm

Location: The Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Ave.

Photography emerged in a society being radically transformed by technology and industry. This talk will look at nineteenth- and early twentieth century images of railroads, factories and industrial landscapes, and explore the underlying ideas and attitudes toward technology. Images from the Wagner's recently digitized lantern slide collection, including historic views of Philadelphia, will be featured in the talk.

Dr. Miles Orvell, Professor of English and American Studies at Temple University, has a broad interest in modern American culture. He is the author of The Real Thing: Imitation and Authenticity in American Culture, 1880-1940, and After the Machine: Visual Arts and the Erasing of Cultural Boundaries. His essays and reviews have appeared in American Art, History of Photography, and many other journals.