Vault of Denver National Bank

Laura Gilpin

1929 · Gelatin silver print · Photographs

Born in Colorado, Gilpin achieved renown in the early 1940s for her photographs of the American Southwest, including Pueblo and Navajo communities. In this earlier work, however, she turns her attention to the metallic gleam and abstract machine forms of a bank vault in Denver. For many photographers, industry—with its pristine angles, smooth surfaces, and precise detail—seemed a perfect match for the medium of photography. While some artists focused on industry’s scale and power, here Gilpin emphasizes the glow and surface texture of a single mechanical element.

Artist

Laura Gilpin

Date

1929

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Ford Motor Company Collection, Gift of Ford Motor Company and John C. Waddell, 1987