William A. Christenberry Jr. (November 5, 1936 - November 28, 2016) was a photographer, painter, sculptor, and teacher who drew inspiration from his childhood in Hale County, Alabama. Christenberry focused extensively on architecture, abandoned structures, nature, and extensively studied the psychology and effects of place and memory. He is best known for his haunting compositions of landscapes, signs, and abandoned buildings in his home state. Christenberry is also considered a pioneer of colored photography as an art form; he was especially encouraged in the medium by the likes of Walker Evans and William Eggleston.
Christenberry’s oeuvre consists of drawings, paintings, sculpture, photographs and tableaux. His work has been the subject of dozens of national and international exhibitions and can be found in such permanent collections as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
