VCUarts Anderson Gallery
2001-2002 EXHIBITIONS

Organized by Amy Moorefield
Assistant Professor/Assistant Director and Curator of Collections

June 7 – August 10, 2002

About the Artists

Edouard Boubat. Lella, Bretagne 1948 gelatin silver print. Gift of Ivor Massey

Edward Boubat (1923-1999) was one of France’s most celebrated postwar photographers, best known for his images of children. He traveled extensively during a career that spanned almost 50 years. Boubat studied photoengraving until he was sent to Germany in 1943 to join thousands of others in forced labor. By 1951 he had gained enough recognition to exhibit alongside well-known photographers like Doisneau and Brassai. His work represented the "ideal" France and was highly influential on future generations of photographers. The exhibited prints are from the Hyperion Press Limited Portfolio, published in 1981, edition 82/100.

Manuel Alvarez Bravo (b.1902) is known as Mexico’s most famous
photographer. His photographs are deeply rooted in the culture of his people. There is strong symbolism in his work, which is dominated by themes of religion, everyday life and the landscapes of Mexico. He was the first Mexican photographer to take an anti-picturesque stance with his work. By presenting his culture to the public in an innovative and sophisticated manner, he achieved international recognition. The exhibited prints are from the Acorn Editions Limited Portfolio, published in 1977, edition 51/100.

Laura Chessin (b.1958) was raised in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Under the guidance of a high school teacher and local folklorist, she participated in several oral history and native craft documentation projects. It was there that she began to develop a respect for folk culture and recognized a need to record and preserve regional traditions. The exhibited work is from the Adirondack Women’s Project, a collaboration with folklorist Vaughn Ward to document the history and culture of the women and families of that region. Each image records a brief moment of gesture or conversation.

Larry Clark. Untitled from the Tulsa Portfolio, 1980.

Larry Clark (b.1943) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Largely self-taught, he has worked primarily as a documentary photographer. His Tulsa Portfolio is a perfect example of the hyperrealist style he is known for, demonstrating the drug use/abuse he and his friends were involved in during the 1960’s and 70’s. Clark is fascinated by the drug culture and the often violent, anguished lifestyle that accompanies it. His aim is to present his world to audiences as realistically as possible, without Hollywood glamour. The exhibited prints are from the Tulsa Portfolio, published by RGF Publishing Inc in 1980, edition 98/100.

Thomas Daniel (b.1948) has received numerous awards and has been shown in group and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally. He is the only Virginia artist to have received four Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Senior Artists Fellowships. The photographs exhibited explore a new direction in his work focusing on subjects who transform themselves physically with masks, costumes and elaborate face paint to entertain audiences and act out private rituals for the camera at public events such as festivals and parades. Thomas Daniel, known as a "master of the darkroom," captures images that skirt the fringes of society with an unparalleled mastery of photographic processes.

Bruce Davidson (b.1933) has worked with the Magnum Photo Agency since 1958 where he pursued numerous projects such as Brooklyn Gang, and Freedom Rides. In 1966 he received the first grant for photography from the National Endowment for the Arts. Davidson is well known for his body of work titled Subway. He began this project in 1980 in order to demonstrate the subway as the "connector" (metaphorically and physically) between the people of New York. To prepare himself for extended periods on the subway, he crash dieted and started a military fitness exercise program. Davidson utilized color film to produce rich, vibrant images emphasizing the gritty reality of the subway.

Robert Doisneau (1912-1994) set out to document Paris with the aim of preserving the lifestyle that he felt was being demolished in the 1950’s and 60’s. His work featured the unique charm of Paris and is said to have greatly influenced the way France is viewed by the world. He was known for combining urban lyricism with quirkiness in his photographs, and has become a national artistic treasure to his people. Along with colleagues like Boubat, Doisneau showed an idealistic view of France. He had a long and productive career, documenting the changes in France throughout the mid to late twentieth century. The exhibited images are from the Hyperion Press Limited Portfolio, published in 1979, edition 37/100.

Elliot Erwitt (b.1928). Cracked Glass with Boy, Colorado 1955 , gelatin silver print. Gift of Ariel Halpern, NYC

Elliot Erwitt (b.1928) has worked with the Magnum Photo Agency for almost 50 years, producing a vast, renowned body of work. Erwitt prefers the classic look of black and white prints to color photography and refuses to employ electronic manipulation techniques to any of his work. Erwitt has a passion for the direct gaze and decisive moment, both of which have become part of his trademark style. Erwitt’s portraits are engaging depictions of our world captured with a sense of humor and a poignant touch. Three of the four exhibited images are from The Alchan Edition Portfolio published in 1980.

Danny Lyon (b.1942) began his career photographing the US Civil Rights Movement in 1963. Many of his photos appeared in The Movement, a major publication documenting this period. He focused on American social and cultural events during the 1960’s and 70’s. Shown in this exhibition are two examples from his series Conversations with the Dead, an intimate portrayal of prison inmates whom Lyon had befriended in Texas. He was one of the first photographers to be allowed to visually record the harsh cloistered lives of inmates.

Alen MacWeeney (b. 1939) has published two books, Irish Walls (1986) and Bloombury Reflections (1990). He is best known for focusing on the distinctive and dynamic appeal of Irish culture, including the Tinker lifestyle that is unique to Ireland. He has also documented the turbulent changes in Ireland over the years, spanning all social classes and lifestyles. The images he presents are direct and emotional, showing the strength and passion of the Irish people. The exhibited prints are from The Hyperion Press Limited Portfolio, published in 1979, edition 29/90.

Eve Sonneman (b.1946) is concerned with the configuration of her entire world. In her work she juxtaposes fundamental oppositions: nature versus civilization, accident versus order, using a diptych format that follows the theory that form approximates function. This format has become her signature style, showing changes that occur in very small intervals. Colored light is a very important feature in her work as she explores the effects of the color spectrum. She has been producing diptych images since the late 1960’s and her work has been exhibited domestically and internationally.

Garry Winogrand. New York City, 1968, gelatin silver print. Gift of Anonymous

Garry Winogrand (1928-1984) was best known for his documentary depictions of contemporary American life. His photographs are often said to be disturbing and satirical, done in a casual, "uncomposed" style. He was famous for recording engaging moments of action, as well as for his trademark "tilted" compositions. Winogrand produced images that were evocative moments of American life. The exhibited prints are from the Hyperion Press Limited portfolio, published in 1978, edition 14/100.