Art & culture
What was Kodak’s Colorama display at Grand Central?
Kodak’s huge transparency display turned color photography into a public spectacle viewed by commuters in New York.
Kodak’s company history says Colorama began in 1950 above Grand Central Terminal’s main floor. The backlit display measured 18 by 60 feet and was viewed by an estimated 650,000 commuters and tourists each business day until its closure during the terminal’s restoration in 1989.
The project enlarged the photographic transparency into public
The project enlarged the photographic transparency into public architecture. Instead of holding a small personal print, viewers encountered a shared image at monumental scale as part of daily travel.
Evidence: Museum / archival collection record
Private booth keepsake versus public display
A photobooth turns public space into a place where one person can make a private keepsake. Colorama moved photography in the other direction: a single large image became a public event.
Evidence: Museum / archival collection record
Colorama shifted attention from the private print to a shared
Colorama shifted attention from the private print to a shared, illuminated image in a transit space. Its viewers encountered photography at architectural scale, without choosing the picture or making a copy. This is a distinct kind of public photographic experience from a booth, where a visitor acts as sitter and takes away an image.
Evidence: Museum / archival collection record
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- George Eastman Museum — Colorama archive acquisitionMuseum / archival collection record