Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/09/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Chuck Stirk jnr. wrote: >>> Thought some of you would find this interesting >Photographing the Paradoxes of Pittsburgh: IN 1948, an international poll named W. Eugene Smith one of the world's 10 greatest photographers. He had already taken what he considered "the finest set of photographs I have ever produced, quality and quantity": his pictures of Pittsburgh and ultimately proposed a magazine essay of approximately 200 images. No magazine had that kind of space, even had this ever-intransigent photographer not demanded total control over layout and text. The essay has never been seen the way he wanted it, but the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh will now try. From Nov. 3 through Feb. 10, the museum will present "Dream Street: W.Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Photographs," 195 works that the guest curator, Sam Stephenson, has identified as Smith's choices.<<<< Hi Crew, This is an exhibition that all photographers should mark on their calendars to have a quiet time viewing, simply because we've never seen what he considered the best of his Pittsburgh selection. Yep we've seen samples, but not a solid collection as pointed out in the above. And whether one is an admirer of Gene Smith or not, I'm sure this will be a wonderful and revealing exhibition of how this photographer perceived the world after his traumatic WW II injuries and drug affected recovery. I doubt any of us will ever have the funding nor inroads of co-operation to do a similar documentary given how society has changed since the Pittsburgh project. I for one, will not miss this very special exhibition wherever it hangs. Chuck thanks for posting the information. ted Ted Grant Photography Limited www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant - ----- Original Message ----- From: "CHARLES STIRK JR C" <ccstirkjr@yahoo.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2001 11:56 AM Subject: [Leica] Eugene Smith: Photographing the Paradoxes of Pittsburgh . The > > Pittsburgh > > commission called for 100-plus photographs; Smith worked > > for more > > than three years, went heavily into debt, produced at > > least 11,000 > > negatives > > > > Some of his most famous images are here. "Dance of the > > Flaming > > Coke" is a contemporary version of the fierce beauties of > > Hades, > > where a man in front of a sheet of flame spars with a > > snarling > > fire. In "Pride Street," a teenage boy has hoisted > > himself up and > > curled his body around the hopefully named street sign. > > The rest is > > Smith's attempt to record the paradoxes of city life in > > America - > > the clutch of industry, the dogged persistence of both > > community > > and loneliness, the forces of love, hate, growth and > > decay. Not > > even the venerated master of photojournalists could quite > > pull this > > off, but Smith's obsessiveness was harnessed to an > > enormous talent, > > and he wasn't far from the mark when he wrote that his > > essay would > > "create history." > > > > The show, organized by Linda Batis, associate curator of > > fine arts > > at the Carnegie, will travel to New York and Tucson next > > year and > > is accompanied by a book by the same name from W. W. > > Norton. > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/09/arts/design/09GOLD.html?ex=1001050511&ei=1 &en=b4674c4508911344 > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger > http://im.yahoo.com >