Walter Chandoha. Cats. Photographs 1942–2018

<p>On a winter’s night in 1949 in New York City, young marketing student and budding photographer <strong>Walter Chandoha</strong> spotted a stray kitten in the snow, bundled it into his coat, and brought it home. Little did he know <strong>he had just met the muse that would determine the course of his life</strong>. Chandoha turned his lens on his new feline friend—which he named Loco—and was so inspired by the results that he started photographing kittens from a local shelter. These images marked the start of an extraordinary career that would span seven decades.<br /><br /> Long before the Internet and #catsofinstagram, Chandoha was enrapturing the public with his fuzzy subjects. From advertisements to greetings cards, jigsaw puzzles to pet-food packaging, his images combined <strong>a genuine affection for the creatures</strong>, a strong work ethic, and <strong>flawless technique</strong>. Chandoha’s trademark glamorous lighting, which made each cat’s fur stand out in sharp relief, would <strong>define the visual vocabulary of animal portraiture for generations</strong> and inspire such masters as Andy Warhol, who took cues from Chandoha’s charming portraits in his illustrated cat book.<br /><br /><em>Cats</em> leaps into the archives of this genre-defining artist, spanning color studio and environmental portraits, black-and-white street photography, images from vintage cat shows, tender pictures that combine his children with cats and more. This is a fitting tribute not just to these beguiling creatures but also to <strong>a remarkable photographer who passed away in 2019 at the age of 98; and whose compassion can be felt in each and every frame.</strong></p>