Forty years ago, in the 1980s, galleries and museums began to wake from a slumber. Photography was no longer just a documentary tool—it was contemporary art. In 1985, MoMA presented its first “New Photography” exhibition, the inauguration of an annual event. The show brought together pioneers such as Zeke German, Antonio Mendoza, Ross, and Michael Spano. The curator John Szarkowski explained, “New Photography will occupy twice the space of our former one-man series, and will show three or four photographers whose work—individually and collectively—seems to represent the most interesting achievements of new photography.” This year, for its 40th anniversary, 13 artists and collectives explore sites of belonging and forms of interconnectedness. —Elena Clavarino