The Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth is opening two new exhibitions on May 18: “Richard Avedon at the Carter” and “East of the Pacific: Making Histories of Asian American Art.” The Avedon show marks the 40th anniversary of the museum’s original 1985 presentation of his “In the American West” series, featuring 40 portraits alongside archival photographs by Laura Wilson. The second exhibition explores Asian American influence on the West Coast, reframing the U.S. as east of the Pacific.
These exhibitions matter because they challenge traditional, often romanticized imagery of the American West by presenting two distinct perspectives—Avedon’s unflinching portraits of working-class individuals and a broader Asian American historical lens. Together, they spark dialogue about whose stories are told and whose are left out, reinforcing the museum’s role in expanding the narrative of American art and identity.