Capa Space to show 'pioneering' war photographer's work

YORKTOWN, N.Y. —The Capa Space is holding what organizers call a landmark exhibition celebrating photojournalist Gerda Taro. Opening April 5, Witness: Gerda Taro’s Spanish Civil War "reclaims Taro's singular voice and vision as a photographer whose work stands on its own merits, separate from her professional and personal relationship with Robert Capa," organizers said in a press release.

Curated by Marie Keller — who previously curated The Capa Space's This Is Robert Capa exhibition and authored its comprehensive brochure — the Taro show continues Keller’s exploration of the Capa legacy and its extended circle of influential photographers.

Organizers called Taro's work "extraordinary" and said she had a "legacy of pioneering."

Born Gerta Pohorylle in Stuttgart, Germany, Taro fled Nazi persecution in 1933 and reinvented herself in Paris as a politically engaged photojournalist. Her "unflinching" documentation of the Spanish Civil War established her as one of the first female war photographers, and her work was an important element of the anti-fascist resistance. 

“Gerda Taro's photography represents the perfect embodiment of our mission at The Capa Space,” said Capa Space founder Elise Graham. “Her commitment to using photography as a tool for social justice and her courage in documenting conflict firsthand exemplify the power of the ‘concerned photographer’ tradition we seek to honor and perpetuate.” 

Despite her tragically short career — she was killed on the front lines in Spain in 1937 at just 26 years old — Taro's impact was profound. Her funeral in Paris drew thousands, a testament to the role she played in the Spanish Civil War. 

“Along with Robert Capa, Gerda Taro was a pioneer in the development of the photo essay as a way to communicate world events,” Keller said, adding that “had Taro's brief career not been cut so short by her untimely death, she would surely have ranked among the great war photographers.” 

Witness: Gerda Taro’s Spanish Civil War explores Taro's distinct photographic style, characterized by intimate perspectives, dynamic compositions, and an "unfailing empathy for her subjects."

The exhibit includes curated images, personal artifacts, and historical information intended to offer visitors "a new appreciation for Taro's significant contributions to photojournalism and her unwavering commitment to documenting the human cost of fascism." 

The opening reception will be held at 5 p.m. on April 5 at The Capa Space on 2467 Quaker Church Road in Yorktown Heights. The exhibition runs through July 20.