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Biography

As part of New York’s blossoming art community in the early 1960s, Peter Moore (b. 1932, London, UK, d. 1993, New York) produced an unmatched photographic archive of Fluxus, Judson Dance Theater, and countless “Happenings,” capturing in his photographs the defiance and spirit of the era’s experimental performances. Moore began his career in New York as a photo lab technician at Life magazine, and in the 1970s and 80s, he wrote prolifically on the mechanics of photography for Modern Photography magazine. His work was included in the 1970 show “Happenings and Fluxus” at the Kölnischer Kunstverein in Cologne, Germany; “Alternative Gestures: Another Look at Dance Photography” at P.S. 1, Long Island City, New York (1978); the Fluxus pavilion at the 1990 Venice Biennale; “In the Spirit of Fluxus” at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (1993); the 2nd Lyon Biennale (1993); “Art, Lies and Videotape” at Tate Liverpool (2003); “Simone Forti. Thinking with the Body: A Retrospective in Motion” at the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg (2014); “The City Lost and Found: Capturing New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles: 1960-1980” at the Art Institute of Chicago (2014-15); and the 14th Lyon Biennale (2017), among many others. A large selection of Moore’s photographs were on view at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in the exhibition “Judson Dance Theater: The Work Is Never Done” (2018–2019).

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Trisha Brown and Carol Goodden performing Trisha Brown's "Leaning Duet", Wooster st., 1970, 1970 gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Trisha Brown and Carol Goodden performing Trisha Brown's "Leaning Duet", Wooster st., 1970, 1970
gelatin silver print
8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University

Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik Performing John Cage's 26'1.1499" for a String Player, 1965 gelatin silver print mounted on gatorboard

Peter Moore
Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik Performing John Cage's 26'1.1499" for a String Player, 1965
gelatin silver print mounted on gatorboard
15 3/4 x 21 1/2 in. (40 x 54.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.
Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.
Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.

Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.

Peter Moore Untitled (Penn Station, Main Waiting Room), 1963 gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Untitled (Penn Station, Main Waiting Room), 1963
gelatin silver print
image: 22 x 15 7/16 in. (55.9 x 39.2 cm) paper: 24 x 20 in. (61 x 50.8 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Untitled (Penn Station, Seventh Avenue Entrance, Doric Columns), 1965 gelatin silver print image

Peter Moore
Untitled (Penn Station, Seventh Avenue Entrance, Doric Columns), 1965
gelatin silver print
image:, 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 in. (24.1 x 18.4 cm) paper: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore, Untitled (samo©...as an anti-art form), 6/2/79, black & white photograph

Peter Moore
Untitled (samo©...as an anti-art form), 6/2/79
black & white photograph
paper size: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm); image size: 8 1/2 x 5 3/4 in. (21.6 x 14.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Trees in the Forest Installation view, curated by Kari Rittenbach, Yale Union, Portland, Oregon, 2016.

Peter Moore
Trees in the Forest
Installation view, curated by Kari Rittenbach, Yale Union, Portland, Oregon, 2016.

Robert Morris and Yvonne Rainer in Rainer's "Part of a Sextet," Judson Memorial Church, New York, 1964, June 19, 1964, gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Robert Morris and Yvonne Rainer in Rainer's "Part of a Sextet," Judson Memorial Church, New York, 1964, June 19, 1964
gelatin silver print
11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Untitled (Yvonne Rainer, "Performance - Demonstration;" Becky Arnold, center, Rainer, right), September 16, 1968

Peter Moore
Untitled (Yvonne Rainer, "Performance - Demonstration;" Becky Arnold, center, Rainer, right), September 16, 1968
gelatin silver print
image: 5 3/8 x 9 1/2 in. (13.7 x 24.1 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Robert Rauschenberg in his "Pelican," First New York Theater Rally, 1965 gelatin silver print 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm); image: 5 7/8 x 8 13/16 in. (14.9 x 22.4 cm)

Peter Moore
Robert Rauschenberg in his "Pelican," First New York Theater Rally, 1965
gelatin silver print
image: 5 7/8 x 8 13/16 in. (14.9 x 22.4 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Yoko Ono with her "Morning Piece" installation, New York, September 12, 1965 vintage gelatin silver print paper size: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm); image size: 8 7/8 x 6 in. (22.5 x 15.2 cm)

Peter Moore
Yoko Ono with her "Morning Piece" installation, New York, September 12, 1965
vintage gelatin silver print
image size: 8 7/8 x 6 in. (22.5 x 15.2 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building", 80 Wooster st., New York, April 18, 1970 gelatin silver print 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)

Peter Moore
Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building", 80 Wooster st., New York, April 18, 1970
gelatin silver print
10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Yayoi Kusama installation, Castellane Gallery, New York, 1966, March 29, 1966 gelatin silver print 11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)

Peter Moore
Yayoi Kusama installation, Castellane Gallery, New York, 1966, March 29, 1966
gelatin silver print
11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Trisha Brown and Carol Goodden performing Trisha Brown's "Leaning Duet", Wooster st., 1970, 1970 gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Trisha Brown and Carol Goodden performing Trisha Brown's "Leaning Duet", Wooster st., 1970, 1970
gelatin silver print
8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University

Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik Performing John Cage's 26'1.1499" for a String Player, 1965 gelatin silver print mounted on gatorboard

Peter Moore
Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik Performing John Cage's 26'1.1499" for a String Player, 1965
gelatin silver print mounted on gatorboard
15 3/4 x 21 1/2 in. (40 x 54.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.

Peter Moore, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2015.

Peter Moore Untitled (Penn Station, Main Waiting Room), 1963 gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Untitled (Penn Station, Main Waiting Room), 1963
gelatin silver print
image: 22 x 15 7/16 in. (55.9 x 39.2 cm) paper: 24 x 20 in. (61 x 50.8 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Untitled (Penn Station, Seventh Avenue Entrance, Doric Columns), 1965 gelatin silver print image

Peter Moore
Untitled (Penn Station, Seventh Avenue Entrance, Doric Columns), 1965
gelatin silver print
image:, 9 1/2 x 7 1/4 in. (24.1 x 18.4 cm) paper: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore, Untitled (samo©...as an anti-art form), 6/2/79, black & white photograph

Peter Moore
Untitled (samo©...as an anti-art form), 6/2/79
black & white photograph
paper size: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm); image size: 8 1/2 x 5 3/4 in. (21.6 x 14.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Trees in the Forest Installation view, curated by Kari Rittenbach, Yale Union, Portland, Oregon, 2016.

Peter Moore
Trees in the Forest
Installation view, curated by Kari Rittenbach, Yale Union, Portland, Oregon, 2016.

Robert Morris and Yvonne Rainer in Rainer's "Part of a Sextet," Judson Memorial Church, New York, 1964, June 19, 1964, gelatin silver print

Peter Moore
Robert Morris and Yvonne Rainer in Rainer's "Part of a Sextet," Judson Memorial Church, New York, 1964, June 19, 1964
gelatin silver print
11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Untitled (Yvonne Rainer, "Performance - Demonstration;" Becky Arnold, center, Rainer, right), September 16, 1968

Peter Moore
Untitled (Yvonne Rainer, "Performance - Demonstration;" Becky Arnold, center, Rainer, right), September 16, 1968
gelatin silver print
image: 5 3/8 x 9 1/2 in. (13.7 x 24.1 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Robert Rauschenberg in his "Pelican," First New York Theater Rally, 1965 gelatin silver print 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm); image: 5 7/8 x 8 13/16 in. (14.9 x 22.4 cm)

Peter Moore
Robert Rauschenberg in his "Pelican," First New York Theater Rally, 1965
gelatin silver print
image: 5 7/8 x 8 13/16 in. (14.9 x 22.4 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Yoko Ono with her "Morning Piece" installation, New York, September 12, 1965 vintage gelatin silver print paper size: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm); image size: 8 7/8 x 6 in. (22.5 x 15.2 cm)

Peter Moore
Yoko Ono with her "Morning Piece" installation, New York, September 12, 1965
vintage gelatin silver print
image size: 8 7/8 x 6 in. (22.5 x 15.2 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building", 80 Wooster st., New York, April 18, 1970 gelatin silver print 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)

Peter Moore
Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building", 80 Wooster st., New York, April 18, 1970
gelatin silver print
10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.

Peter Moore Yayoi Kusama installation, Castellane Gallery, New York, 1966, March 29, 1966 gelatin silver print 11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)

Peter Moore
Yayoi Kusama installation, Castellane Gallery, New York, 1966, March 29, 1966
gelatin silver print
11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Peter Moore Photography Archive, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Libraries. © Northwestern University.