Sunrise

Sunset

A 30-second online art project:

Peter Burr, Sunshine Monument

Learn more

Learn more at whitney.org/artport

Skip to main content

William Christenberry
1936–2016

Introduction

William Andrew Christenberry Jr. (November 5, 1936 – November 28, 2016) was an American photographer, painter, sculptor, and teacher who drew inspiration from his childhood in Hale County, Alabama. Christenberry focused extensively on architecture, abandoned structures, nature, and extensively studied the psychology and effects of place and memory. He is best known for his haunting compositions of landscapes, signs, and abandoned buildings in his home state. Christenberry is also considered a pioneer of colored photography as an art form; he was especially encouraged in the medium by the likes of Walker Evans and William Eggleston.

Wikidata identifier

Q8006794

View the full Wikipedia entry

Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Accessed April 17, 2024.

Introduction

Photographer known for his color images of the rural Southern United States, particularly Hale County, Alabama near where he was born. He often used his photographs as source material for paintings, drawings, or sculptures.

Country of birth

United States

Roles

Artist, installation artist, painter, photographer, sculptor

ULAN identifier

500074045

Names

William Christenberry, Bill Christenberry, William A. Christenberry

View the full Getty record

Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed April 17, 2024.