Mann, Margery. Margery Mann: Photographs. March 23-June 18, 1978.

San Francisco Museum of Art, 1978. Six-page exhibit brochure on sturdy glossy stock, 1 illustration. Checklist with 72 photographs, essay by Katherine Church Holland, biography, and bibliography. Fine. 

Margery Mann (1919–1977) was an influential American photographer, art critic, and photography historian who played a pivotal role in documenting and shaping West Coast photographic culture during the mid-to-late 20th century. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and later based in California, Mann developed a keen photographic practice focusing on urban landscapes, social observation, and public spaces. Alongside her creative output, she made profound contributions as an educator and writer, teaching at institutions such as the San Francisco Art Institute and the University of California, Davis. Her critical essays and regular columns appeared in major publications like Popular Photography, Artforum, and Aperture, where she advocated for emerging visual artists and conducted significant historical research. Notably, Mann penned the monograph Imogen Cunningham: Photographs (1970) and co-curated the landmark 1975 exhibition Women of Photography: An Historical Survey for the San Francisco Museum of Art, a groundbreaking effort that elevated the recognition of female figures throughout the history of the medium.

Margery Mann: Photographs. March 23–June 18, 1978 is an exhibition brochure and catalog published by the San Francisco Museum of Art to accompany a solo retrospective of the work of Margery Mann, a prominent American photographer, critic, and curator.

The publication provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of her photographic career, featuring:

• An Essay: Written by art historian and curator Katherine Church Holland, contextualizing Mann’s contributions to the medium.

• Exhibition Checklist: A detailed list documenting the photographs featured in the exhibition, including notable works from her series Parks and Public Places.

• Biographical and Bibliographical Data: Chronological details of Mann's life, career, past exhibitions, and published writings.

• Visual Documentation: Printed on sturdy, glossy stock, the brochure includes a single key photographic illustration representing her distinctive style.

Margery Mann (1919–1977) was an influential American photographer, art critic, curator, and educator who played a pivotal role in shaping the mid-20th-century West Coast photography scene. Based primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area, she became widely recognized for her sharp, articulate reviews as a regular photography critic for Artforum and Popular Photography, while also championing the legacy of her close friend Imogen Cunningham, writing the introduction to Cunningham's major 1970 monograph. Beyond her criticism and her time teaching at the San Francisco Art Institute, Mann was an impactful curator, co-organizing the landmark 1975 exhibition Women of Photography: An Historical Survey for the San Francisco Museum of Art. As a photographer, she possessed a keen eye for social documentary, most notably captured in her Parks and Public Places series, which explored the subtle, observational complexities of urban environments and human behavior.