Morley Baer

05/30/2025

Kiva, San Ildefonso, New Mexico, 1973. Gelatin silver print. By Morley Baer. Copyright Morley Baer Photography Trust.

04/26/2025

Last weekend to see 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘦𝘳: 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘐𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦!

This groundbreaking exhibition, guest curated by Cydney Payton, is the first to focus exclusively on photographer Morley Baer’s modernist architectural photography. Featuring never-before-seen works from the Museum's historical archives, it offers a powerful look at the evolution of Midcentury, Late Modern, and Organic Architecture across Northern California through Baer's eyes.

Don't miss your chance to stop by the Museum to see Baer's work before the exhibition closes on April 27!

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Morley Baer (1916–1995),𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳, 𝘌𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭, 𝘊𝘈, 1963, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 in. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights reserved. Used by permission.

Morley Baer

03/28/2025

What is organic architecture?

Throughout his career, photographer Morley Baer traveled extensively between Big Sur and Sea Rach to photograph the emerging styles of California architecture. Along with his documentation of Mid-century Modern design, one of the most prominent architectural styles Baer captured was the style of organic architecture. But what is organic architecture?

Focusing on the relationship between natural and built structures, organic design is characterized by its use of natural materials, site-specific approach, and seamless integration with the environment. Blurring the lines between architecture and landscape, it seeks to soften the contrast between constructed and natural elements, creating a seamless flow between the built and the organic.

Looking at this building, what elements of organic design can you see through Baer's photograph? And, how does Baer emphasize this relationship between the natural and built environments through the composition of his photograph?

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Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭, 𝘊𝘈, 1947–1949, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inches. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection. © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights reserved. Used by permission

03/28/2025

Do any of these scenes look familiar?

For those of you who live in Monterey County, you may recognize some of these buildings. Whether you've made an unfortunate trip to the emergency room, gone in for a dental cleaning, or taken a drive around town, these iconic Monterey buildings seemed to have caught photographer Morley Baer's eye. How does your perception of these places change after viewing them through Baer's lens?

Make sure to stop by the Museum to take a look at more iconic Monterey architecture in our new exhibition, 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘦𝘳: 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 guest curated by Cydney Payton.

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Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘏𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘯𝘥, 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, 𝘊𝘈, 1972, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 in. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, 𝘊𝘈, 1973, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 in. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘴, 𝘊𝘈, 1968, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 in. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘊𝘈, 1967, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 in. Monterey Museum of Art Archives, Morley Baer Collection © 2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

03/28/2025

01/07/2025

𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘦𝘳: 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 on view January 16!

Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 [𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦] 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘊𝘈, 1966, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inches. ©2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission Sur to the modernist enclaves of Sea Ranch, reflecting the evolution of Late Modern, organic, and Mid-century designs.

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Morley Baer (1916–1995), 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 [𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦] 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘊𝘈, 1966, gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inches. ©2025, the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe. All Rights reserved. Used by permission

Morley Baer

12/10/2024

Sea Ranch, 1967. Silver Gelatin print. By Morley Baer. Copyright Morley Baer Photography Trust.

12/03/2024

Sea Ranch, CA. Gelatin silver print. October 1965. By Morley Baer

12/03/2024

Leisure House, Mill Valley, CA. Gelatin silver print. October 1952. By Morley Baer

12/03/2024

Stone House, Carmel, CA. Gelatin silver print. Date Unknown. By Morley Baer

12/02/2024

Round Valley and Mount Tom, Eastern Sierra, 1974, Gelatin silver print by Morley Baer

12/02/2024

Cypress Tree, Point Lobos, 1989, gelatin silver photograph, Agfa Portiga Rapid paper by Morley Baer