Jacques Lowe: My Kennedy Years
Paper size: 20 x 16 inches | 50.8 x 40.6 cm
WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC presents My Kennedy Years, an exhibition curated by James Cavello featuring over 50 photographs by Jacques Lowe (1930–2001). Taken during John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign and time in the White House, these images offer a rare and personal view into the life of one of America’s most iconic political families. Presented in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death, the exhibition also serves as a tribute to Lowe, whom the gallery represented and showcased in his final exhibition before his passing.
Lowe’s photographs, drawn from an archive of over 40,000 images, shaped the public imagination of the Kennedy era—capturing not only the momentum of a historic campaign but the quiet, human moments behind the political stage. From scenes on the campaign trail to intimate family life at Hickory Hill and the White House, the works on view reveal the enduring power of image-making in constructing legacy. The prints presented come from the Estate of Jacques Lowe, created and signed by the photographer before his death, standing as both historical document and personal testament.
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Jacques Lowe, Jacqueline Kennedy and Caroline, Hyannis Port, MA, Summer, 1961 -
Jacques Lowe, Jackie Kennedy and Caroline, 1961 (Printed Later)
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Jacques Lowe, Jacqueline, John F. Kennedy, and Caroline, Hyannis Port, MA, Summer, 1960
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Jacques Lowe, John F. Kennedy in his Senate office, 1959
WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC is pleased to present the exhibition, My Kennedy Years, curated by James Cavello. The exhibition includes over 50 photographs by Jacques Lowe (1930-2001) depicting rare and historic moments he captured of John F. Kennedy and family during his campaign and presidency. The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's death on November 22, 1963. Westwood Gallery NYC represented photographer Jacques Lowe and presented the final exhibition prior to his death in 2001; this exhibition is also a tribute to the photographer.
Jacques Lowe was a 26 year old freelance journalist in 1956 when he met Robert Kennedy. Because of Jacques' photojournalistic talent, he was assigned by three magazines within the same week to photograph Chief Counsel Kennedy. Robert Kennedy wondered if Jacques was the only photographer representing all printed magazines. Jacques Lowe and Robert Kennedy became friends and Jacques was invited to spend weekends at Kennedy's Hickory Hill home in Virginia. Joseph Kennedy, Sr. was impressed with Jacques' photographs and requested he photograph his other son 'John'. Although the initial meeting between Jacques and Senator Jack Kennedy was not an auspicious start, they later connected due to Jacques' honorable approach to his photographs. Jacques was provided unprecedented access to the private and professional life of one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century, as well as members of his family.
Over several years he took more than 40,000 photographs of the couple and their children. The legendary images depict a period covering the intense Presidential campaign trail along with intimate family moments and early years in the White House. Jacques Lowe's photographs were a powerful visual force that shaped the public's perception of the Kennedy family and have remained the essential documentary of the charismatic personality of Jack Kennedy and the historical period. The exhibition recounts both the story of these mythical years and the president who, in Lowe's own words, "empowered each one of us to believe we could make a difference."
Lowe died in May 2001, and his original negatives, stored in a World Trade Center bank vault, were lost during the September 11 terrorist attacks. Only 10 negatives, out on loan at the time, have survived. The prints in this exhibition are from the Estate of Jacques Lowe's collection of vintage and modern fine art prints, printed and signed by Lowe prior to his death. Accompanying the exhibition is the book, The Kennedy Years: A Memoir by Jacques Lowe, published by Rizzoli.
