American, Born Hungary: Kertesz, Capa, and the Hungarian American Photographic Legacy

An expansive look at the significant role of Hungarian immigrants in shaping American photographic culture and practice in the twentieth century

This beautifully illustrated book explores the cultural conditions for photography in Hungary in the first half of the twentieth century and the exodus of groundbreaking Hungarian artists, many of whom journeyed to Berlin, Paris, or London before settling in the United States. The story of the bounty of intellectual and artistic talent that departed Hungary during this period is told in depth, from the photojournalistic legacy of the Capa brothers and Martin Munkácsi to the deeply experimental work made in the United States by artists such as László Moholy-Nagy and György Kepes to the portraits of cinema icons by André de Dienes, including Marilyn Monroe, which helped fuel Hollywood’s Golden Age. The book also introduces the major but underrecognized talent of artists, including John Albok, Anna Barna, Ferenc Berko, Michael Simon, and Paula Wright.

The publication’s essays explore the complex legacy of more than thirty Hungarian-born photographers and reflect on their journeys to the US in the context of Hungarian emigration for more than a hundred and fifty years. By tracing the impact of these celebrated and unheralded photographers alike, American, Hungary Born underscores the significant role of Hungarian immigrants in shaping American photographic culture and practice in the twentieth century.

Distributed for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Exhibition Schedule:

Museum of Fine Arts Budapest
(April 6-August 25, 2024)

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
(October 5, 2024-January 26, 2025)

The George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY
(September 26, 2025-March 1, 2026)

Alex Nyerges is director and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Karoly Kincses is founding director of the Hungarian Museum of Photography. Robert Gurbo is curator and director of the André Kertész Foundation.