American Pictures & State of the Blues

Amerikahaus Munich presents an exhibition of photographs by American photographer Jeff Dunas, which deliberately focuses on what constitutes the foundation of the United States: its people.
The exhibition centres on works from the American Pictures series, which were created over several decades. Dunas photographs in cities and small towns, in urban fringe areas as well as in rural areas. His motifs are neither iconic nor staged – they are encounters. People in everyday life, in moments of waiting, of pausing, of self-evidence. The photographs appear calm, almost restrained, and it is precisely this that gives them their lasting impact. They show an America characterised by diversity, individual freedom and social movement.
Dunas is not interested in spectacle, but in presence and dignity. His images tell of a country made up of many voices – of different social realities, cultural backgrounds and ways of life. Even though many of these photographs were taken in past decades, they speak directly to the present. They remind us that America is more than political headlines or institutional power. It is a web of stories, hopes, ruptures and new beginnings.
This part of the exhibition is complemented by photographs from the State of the Blues series. In haunting black-and-white portraits, Dunas documents central figures in a musical tradition that stands for cultural innovation, resilience and creative renewal like no other. The blues is more than music – it is an expression of historical experience, especially African-American history, and at the same time one of the pillars of modern American culture. Dunas' portraits combine artistic intensity with documentary accuracy and reveal how closely society and culture are interwoven.
Together, both groups of works paint a multi-layered picture of the United States: an America of people, music and diversity – characterised by renewal, creativity and the constant negotiation of identity. With this exhibition, the Amerikahaus München invites visitors to engage in open, nuanced dialogue about American society, cultural heritage and contemporary perspectives.
-----------
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeff Dunas (born 1954, Los Angeles) is an internationally renowned American photographer whose work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and Europe since the 1970s. His photographs can be found in collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. After formative years in France, Dunas developed his own visual language, combining American documentary photography with the European humanist tradition. In addition to his artistic work, he has held leading positions at international photography festivals and remains committed to promoting contemporary photography.

#amerikahaus on Instagram (external link, opens in a new window)

Last edited on 16.03.2026