Celebrating 250 Years of American Civic Architecture at the CMC

”Civic Architecture” features the panoramic photographer’s unique shots of civic buildings from around the nation.
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United States Capitol, Brumidi Corridor Ceiling, Washington, D.C.

Photograph by Thomas R. Schiff

In an early celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary, the Cincinnati Museum Center’s newest exhibition invites guests to admire the grandeur of familiar civic buildings throughout the country—but from a new angle.

Civic Architecture: The Panoramic Photography of Thomas R. Schiff features 40 printed photographs and about 20 digital images from the collection of architectural photographer Schiff. These photographs highlight what Schiff calls “civic architecture:” the architecture of government buildings. “It’s your courthouses, it’s your city halls, your state houses, also your libraries—places where your government does its work but also where you as a community connect with your local government,” says Erica Wainwright, associate vice president of exhibitions at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Schiff, a Cincinnati native and one of America’s leading panoramic photographers, has spent the last 25 years traveling the country with a special panoramic camera that spins on a tripod to capture an entire room in one shot. Civic Architecture features photographs taken at government buildings spanning America’s geographical regions and architectural styles, from the Denver State Capitol and Cincinnati City Hall to the Library of Congress and the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Cincinnati City Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Photograph by Thomas R. Schiff

To Schiff, these photographs are more than just an appreciation for fine architecture—he believes a society’s architecture is an indication of its value system. Following the American Revolution, much of America’s architecture symbolized the young nation’s democratic values; it was a tangible sign of its permanence, resilience, and valor.

The same is true of civic buildings today, although their architectural styles are changing. Civic Architecture encourages visitors to compare expressive, contemporary buildings like the Austin City Hall to symmetric, neoclassical structures like the Richmond State Capitol. The exhibition is a launching point intended to encourage visitors to consider “How?” and “Why?” when they look at the architecture of their local civic buildings.

The unique angle of Schiff’s panoramic photographs helps to prompt these questions. “Depending on what’s closest to the camera, it really distorts the image,” Wainwright says. “Things you see all the time just look incredibly different.”

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Photograph by Thomas R. Schiff

To effectively capture these photographs, Schiff relies on a shutterless panoramic Hulcherama 120 film camera that snaps a 360-degree shot by rotating in a full circle. His photographs rarely include people, encouraging viewers to focus entirely on a building’s architecture.

“It’s very up for grabs,” Wainwright says. “You see a lot more [government buildings] being called a ‘Center’ rather than ‘Courthouse’ or ‘City Hall,’ so it’s more . . . representative of community.”

Schiff has published more than 14 books of panoramic images during his decades of photography. His most recent book, Civic Architecture Across America, features more than 100 images of America’s civic buildings, including the photographs on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibition’s opening was deliberately scheduled to correspond with the book’s June 19 release date.

Civic Architecture: The Panoramic Photography of Thomas R. Schiff will be on view until October 19 in the John A. Ruthven Gallery at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Entrance is included with a general admission museum ticket.

United States Capitol, Exterior, Washington, D.C.

Photograph by Thomas R. Schiff

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