AARON SISKIND: Edited by TOWARD A PERSONAL VISION Deborah Martin Kao and Charles A. Meyer 1935-1955 Coverphotograph: MorrisEngel PortraitofAaronSiskind (ca 1947) NationalPortraitGallery/ SmithsonianInstitution AARON SISKIND: Edited by TOWARD A PERSONAL VISION Deborah Martin Kao and Charles A. Meyer 1935-1955 Boston College Museum ofAr Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts AARONSISKIND:TOWARDAPERSONALVISION "TheFeatureGroup"byAaronSiskindfromPhoto RichardNickel’sphotographsfromtheAaronSiskindand 1935-1955. Notes.June-July1940 RepnntedinNathanLyons, Students'LouisSullivanProject.InstituteofDesign. editor. PhotoNotes(facsimile).AVisualStudiesRepnnt Chicago,ca1956,inthecollectionofLenGittieman. Copyright©1994byBostonCollegeMuseumofArt, Book(Rochester:VisualStudiesWorkshop,1977). Reprintedbypermissionof theRichardNickelCommittee. DeborahMartinKaoandCharlesA.Meyer RepnntedbypermissionoftheAaronSiskind LenGittieman,andJohnVinci. Foundation Foreword:Copynght©1994byCarlChiarenza “ThePhotographsofAaronSiskind"byElainedeKooning, I1n9t9r4odbucytiCohna:rlTeoswAardMeayPeerrsonalVision Copynght© SSiidskGinrdosss"mTaanb'esrniansctlaellCaittioyn"pehxohitboigtriaopnhastotfheAaPrhoonto A1a9r5o1n,fSrisokmintdy’spepshcontpotgirnatprhosduhcetlidonattoChaanrleexshiEbgitainonGaolflery. PersonalVisioninAaronSiskind’sDocumentaryPractice: League.1940,inapnvatecollection Repnntedby 63East57thStreet.NewYorkCity.February5thto24th. Copynght©1994byDeborahMartinKao permissionoftheSidGrossmanFoundation 1951,inthecollectionofNathanLyons.VisualStudies Workshop.Rochester.NewYork. Reprintedbypermission ALLRIGHTSRESERVED PnntedintheUnitedStatesof "GuggenheimEssay”byAaronSiskind,ca1956,from of MarjorieL.Luyckx,Executrix,theElainedeKooning Amenca Nopartofthisanthologymaybeusedor typescnpt“Item3Accomplishments"foraJohnSimon Estate reproducedinanymannerwhatsoeverwithout GuggenheimMemorialFoundationgrantapplicationin permissionfromtheBostonCollegeMuseumofArt, theAaronSiskindArchive.CenterforCreative AaronSiskind’sphotographsreproducedinthisanthology exceptinthecaseofbnefquotationsembodiedincritical Photography,theUniversityofAnzona.Tucson. arereprintedbypermissionofthespecifiedlenders,and articlesorreviews Forinformation,address Boston ReprintedbypermissionoftheAaronSiskind theAaronSiskindFoundation. CollegeMuseumofArt,ChestnutHill.MA 02167 Foundation ‘TabemadeCity PhotographsbyAaronSiskind"byHenry Publishedinconjunctionwithanexhibitionof “Harlem”fromFortune.July1939 Textrepnntedby BeetleHough.1940.fromafour-pageexhibition thesametitle permissionofTime.Inc Photographsrepnntedby catalogueproducedbyAaronSiskindandAlexR.Stavenitz DeborahMartinKaoandCharlesA.Meyer.Curators permissionoftheAaronSiskindFoundation,theWendell intheAaronSiskindArchive.CenterforCreative MacRaeEstate.HanselMieth.andCarlMydans Photography. UniversityofArizona.Tucson Repnntedby BostonCollegeMuseumofArt permissionoftheAaronSiskindFoundationandEdith September30-December11.1994 ‘Interview withAaronSiskind”byJaromirStephany. Blake 1963,fromanaudio-tapeprovidedbyJaromirStephany Thisexhibitionandanthologywerepartiallyfundedby andTomBeck, AlbmO KuhnLibraryandGallery, TowardaHarlemDocument,one-pageexhibition tahnedNtahteioAnaarlonEnSdisokwimndenFtoufnodratthieonArts,^Dteiiefaglagiencty*izUneivedratyabfMayrylantdBahltiemoreCfIuntny Etditeedrbynet-catAalagruebcyAahroniSisvkindeandMDiokcelum[eMincthaFeela]tuCarreteGrr.oup hoolforSocialResearch. LIiSbBrNary0-o9f6C4o0n1g5r3e-s1s-C5atalogCardNumber 9Q.4t.-7^90 InterviewwithAarc a ^ 616939\WAe/osmrt+t11h2eTtfAhKaSCrtforrGneZebtSt.isMNkiaenmwdAVYraocrrhLkivCei.tyC.eMnateyr8ftohrCtroe2a1tisvte fromatranscnptionp'll^lcby^mlrils |afe| Photography.UniversityofArizona.Tucson. Repnntedby EditedbyDeborahMaltmlaofr^^w fle^mtedby permissionoftheAaronSiskindFoundation. permissionof theAaronSiskindFoundationand Gratefulacknowledgementismadeforpermissionto CharlesTraub "WorkSheet"byAaronSiskindandtheFeatureGroup reprintthefollowingarticles,ephemera,and fromthePhotoLeague.HariemDocumentFeatureGroup photographs: InterviewwithAaronSiskind"byBonnieYochelson ProjectledbyAaronSiskind.1938-1940.intheAaron UnpublishedtapedinterviewwithAaronSiskindby SiskindArchive.CenterforCreativePhotography. BookMaquette.LouisSullivanProject.AaronSiskind BonnieYochelsonforCharlesTraubsphotographyclass UniversityofAnzona.Tucson. Reprintedbypermissionof andStudents.InstituteofDesign.Chicago,1956.inthe attheSchoolforVisual Arts.NewYorkCity.February theAaronSiskindFoundation. collectionofJohnVinci,theRichardNickelCommittee 1988 ExcerptstranscnbedbyDeborahMartinKaoin RepnntedbypermissionoftheAaronSiskind 1994 ExcerptsreprintedbypermissionoftheAaron Foundation.JamesBlair.LenGittieman.theRichard SiskindFoundationandBonnieYochelson PhotoCredits: ThephotographsandhistoncaJdocuments NickelCommittee,andJohnVinci inthisanthologyhavebeenreproducedfromcopyprints. "LearningPhotographyattheInstituteofDesign"by CopypnntsweremadebytheBostonCollegeOfficeof "Credo”byAaronSiskind. 1950,fromtypescnptinthe AaronSiskindandHarryCallahanfromAperture4.no 4. PublicationsandPrintMarketing.GeoffWhyphotogra- AaronSiskindArchive.CenterforCreativePhotography. 1956. Reprintedwithminorchangesas“FourYearsof pher.unlessotherwisenoted. UniversityofArizona,Tucson. Firstpublishedin StudyEarnsaB.S.inPhotography"inInfinity92 CenterforCreativePhotography,DianeNilson Spectrum(RhodeIslandSchoolofDesign)vol 6,no 2. Feburary1960 RepnntedbypermissionoftheAaron (pages17.58.62) 1956 RepnntedinNathanLyons,editor,Photographers SiskindFoundation,Aperture,andHarryCallahan DukesCountyHistoricalSociety.VineyardMuseum. Bob onPhotography(EnglewoodCliffs.NewJersey Prentice- Shellhammer(pages38.39) Hall,Inc.,1966) RepnntedbypermissionofRhode "MichaelCarter'sStatement"(HariemDocument)by HarvardUniversityArtMuseums(pages8.54) IslandSchoolofDesignandtheAaronSiskind MichaelCarter,tyi^escriptfromthePhotoLeague. InternationalMuseumofPhotographyatGeorgeEastman Foundation. HariemDocument.FeatureGroupprojectledbyAaron House.DanielBogaard(pages10.12.14.29.32.36.37) Siskind, inthecollectionoftheGeorgeEastmanHouse. RobertKleinGallery.BostonPhotoImaging(page50) “Chicago's SullivaninNewPhotographs"byAaron Rochester.NewYork Reprintedbypermissionofthe MuseumofArtRhodeIslandSchoolofDesign.DelBogart SiskindandStudents.InstituteofDesign,Chicago,from AaronSiskindFoundation (page52) ArchitecturalForum.October1954 Ongmallypublished NationalMuseumofAmericanArtSmithsonianInstitution byTime.Inc RepnntedbypermissionoftheAaron "MuseumFellowshipEssay"byAaronSiskindfrom (page18) SiskindFoundation, JamesBlair, LenGittieman. the handwrittendraftintheAaronSiskindArchive.Center NationalPortraitGallery.SmithsonianInstitution(Cover) RichardNickelCommittee,andJohnVinci forCreativePhotography.UniversityofAnzona.Tucson. Reprintedbypermissionof theAaronSiskind “TheDramaofObjects"byAaronSiskindfromMinicam Foundation Design BostonCollegeOfficeofPublications Photography, June1945 ReprintedinNathanLyons, andPrintMarketing.JanaSpacek.DirectorofDesign editor.PhotographersonPhotography (Englewood "244.000NativeSons"fromLook.vol.4.May21,1940 Services.AnneCallahan.SeniorDesigner Cliffs.NewJersey:Prentice-Hall.Inc..1966) Repnnted PhotographsrepnntedbypermissionoftheAaron Printing:QuinnPrinting.Boston.Massachusetts inCarlChiarenza.AaronSiskind: PleasuresandTerrors SiskindFoundation. EditorialConsultantNancyJ.Witting (Boston:Little.BrownandCompany, inassociationwith LegalConsultantSteveJ.Frank.CesanandMcKenna theCenterforCreativePhotography.1982). Repnnted “OutlineNov 6Religion"byAaronSiskindandMichael bypermissionoftheAaron^isljindFoundatj Carter. *93fJ-19|K).fromthefbotoLeague,Harlem rchive Moms I collectionofthelNationalPortraitGallery.Smithsonian Photo^HbHy UniversityofAnzona Tucsor Repented Institution. ReprintedbypermissionofMorrisEngel. bypermissionoftheAaronSiskindFoundation. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 PREFACE 5 NancyNetzer FOREWORD 6 CarlChlarenza INTRODUCTION: TOWARDAPERSONALVISION 9 CharlesA. Meyer PERSONALVISION INAARONSISKIND’SDOCUMENTARYPRACTICE 12 DeborahMartin Kao THEFEATUREGROUP(1940) 26 AaronSiskind TABERNACLECITY: PHOTOGRAPHSBYAARONSISKIND(1940) 32 HenryBeetleHough INTERVIEWWITHAARONSISKIND(1963) 40 JaromirStephany THEDRAMAOFOBJECTS(1945) 50 AaronSiskind MUSEUMFELLOWSHIPESSAY(1945-46) 54 AaronSiskind CREDO(1950) 56 AaronSiskind THEPHOTOGRAPHSOFAARONSISKIND(1951) 58 ElainedeKooning GUGGENHEIM ESSAY(1956) 60 AaronSiskind LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHYATTHEINSTITUTEOFDESIGN(1956) 64 HarryCallahanandAaronSiskind INTERVIEWWITHAARONSISKIND(1977) 70 CharlesTraub CHRONOLOGY 80 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Lenders Weextend oursinceregratitude tothe PortraitGallery; Maureen O'Brien and Aaron Siskind Foundation fortheirearly Lora Urbanelli oftheMuseum ofArt, Boston CollegeMuseum ofArt commitmenttoourproject, tothe Rhode Island School ofDesign; JohnVinci National EndowmentfortheArtsfor ofthe Richard Nickel Committee; Judy CenterforCreative Photography extendingto usa Special Exhibition Grant, Jacobs, VictorSchrager, CharlesTraub, and and toCampusCamera &Video, Inc. Ira LoweoftheAaron Siskind Foundation; Collection ofEugene Coombs Thisexhibition and anthologywould not and lenderswho preferanonymity. have been possiblewithoutthe Dukes CountyHistoricalSociety/ generoussupportofJ. RobertBarth, S. J., Fortheirguidanceand inspiration VineyardMuseum Dean, CollegeofArtsand Sciencesat throughoutthecourseofassemblingthis exhibition and anthology, weare indebted Boston College, Richard Spinello, Associate FHaorgvgaArrdtUMnuivseersuimtyArtMuseums CDoelalne,geanMdutsheeuFmrioefndAsrtoftThheeBeodsutcoantional tMoeroruyrAFodrveisstoar,yaBnodarJdu,dyCaJralcoCbhsi.areOnuzra, CollectionofLen Gittleman mission ofthe Museum ofArt, and the tirelessand invaluableCuratorialAssis- encouragementand steerageofDr Nancy tants, Heather Bradleyand MarcyMiller, InternationalMuseum ofPhotography Netzer, Director; Alston Conley, Curator; facilitated manyaspectsofthe production atGeorgeEastman House aConldleHgeeleMnuSsweaurtmz,ofReAgrits,trbarrouogfhtthethiBsoston ocfomthmiistpmreonjtec.twWiethairnespailrsiongdeeenpelrygyand appreciativeofthosewho haveshared RobertKlein Gallery exhibitionto life. theirresearch, timeand ideaswith us: Museum ofArt, RhodeIsland We have, wheneverpossible, endeavored Tom Beck, Susan Cohen, BarbaraCrane, notonlyto presentvintagework, but Howard Greenberg,Jonathan Greene, SchoolofDesign alsotoexhibititin itsoriginal presentation Jerome Liebling, Nathan Lyons,Ward MuseumofFineArts, Boston form. We, therefore, gratefullyacknowl- Miller, John Pultz,JaromirStephany, edgeourlenders' shared concern for CharlesTraub, and BonnieYochelson. NationalPortraitGallery, authenticity, and theiracceptanceofour Manyofourcolleaguesinthe FineArts SmithsonianInstitution wishesforthedisplayoftheworks: Terrance Pitts, TrudyWilnerStack, Amy Departmentbolstered usatkeyjunctions inthe processofbringingthisprojectto RichardNickelCommittee Stark Rule, LeslieCalmesoftheCenterfor fruition: Kenneth Craig, Karen Haas, Creative Photography; EugeneCoombs; Jeffery Howe,John Michalczyk, Michael Private Collections TheodoreZ. Penn, Jill Bouck, and Mulhern, Katherine Nahum,John RoxanneAckerman ofthe DukesCounty ARoabreorntSMisakninndGFaolulnedryation/ GHiistttolreimcaaln;SoJcaimeetsy/CVuinnoeyaanrddMMaujsoeruiem;CoLhenn WSotelcfz.ynWskei,fAurntdhrerewwiTsahvarteolitih,aannkdAdReevaane Bregman and Andrea Frankfortheir ofthe Harvard UniversityArtMuseums; expertise, andtheAdministrativeStaff, Robert Klein ofthe RobertKlein Gallery; MaryCareyand Susan Breen, Jamestnyeart, Marianne Fulton, andAnn fortheirtimeon behalfofthisproject. McCabeofthe International Museum of PhotographyatGeorge Eastman House; Kenneth Martin Kaoand NancyJ Witting, RobertMannand Ann Cain ofthe ourrespectivespouses, deservespecial RobertMann Gallery; CliffordAckleyand thanksforsupportingusin everyway. Anne Havingaofthe Museum ofFineArts, Boston; Mary Panzerofthe National Deborah Martin Kao CharlesA. Meyer Curators PREFACE Although Aaron Siskind'scentral position appreciatethesupportand assistanceof 5 in American aestheticphotography has Alston Conleyand Helen Swartz, Curator been examined in previousexhibitionsand and AdministrativeAssistantofthe Boston publications, thisexhibition isthefirstto CollegeMuseum, respectively. Needless link hisearlierdocumentaryworkwith his tosay, withoutthe generosityofthe later, purelyaestheticefforts, and to lending institutions, thisexhibition would focuson Siskind's pivotal roleasateacher neverhave been possible. and pedagogical theoristin America. Asalways, theenthusiasticsupport Theeducationalfocusofthisexhibition and accompanying book, therefore, oftheadministration of Boston College, findsaparticularlyappropriateforum in a especiallyJ. Donald Monan, S.J. (Presi- auniversityteachingmuseum likeours. dent), Margaret Dwyer(Vice-President), William B. Neenan S.J. (AcademicVice- Deborah Martin Kaoand CharlesA. Meyer President), J. Robert Barth, S.J. (Dean), organized thisexhibition, theoutgrowth Richard Spinello (Associate Dean), ofresearch on thecurators' previous Katharine Hastings(Assistanttothe exhibition ThePhotoLeague: A Progres- AcademicVice-President),JanaSpacek siveEra in American Photography(Boston (DirectorofDesign Services), Susan CollegeMuseum ofArt, 1990), when O'Connell (Development), JoanneScibilia theyworked closelywith Aaron Siskind. (Associate Directorof Research Adminis- Deborah Martin Kao, an arthistorian tration) and the Friendsofthe Boston who has published numerousarticleson College Museum ofArt, chaired by Nancy photographic history, formerlytaught and John Joyce, has been invaluable. modern artand the historyofphotogra- Finally, itisapleasuretoacknowledgethe phyin the FineArts Departmentat Boston generoussupportofthe National College. She is nowAssistantCurator EndowmentfortheArts, a Federal agency, ofPrintsforPhotographsatthe Harvard and theAaron Siskind Foundation. UniversityArtMuseums. CharlesA. Nancy Netzer Meyer, an artist-photographer, isAdjunct Director Assistant ProfessorofFilm and Photogra- Boston College Museum ofArt phyinthe FineArts Departmentat Boston College. Fortheirprofessionalism, enthusiasm, and innovativescholarship, wethankthem both. Wealsothank Carl Chiarenza, Fanny KnappAllen Professor ofArt Historyatthe Universityof Rochester, forhis insightful foreword to this book, and forhiswisecounsel and supportthroughoutthisendeavor. Forthe beautiful design ofthe book, we are indebtedtoAnneCallahan ofDesign Servicesat Boston College. Wegreatly Tofollow thefresh eyes ofa picture-makerand scholar digging collaboratively into the archives ofa master photographeris a pleasure. Deborah Martin Kao and Charles A. Meyer, with intelligence and creativity, show us why Aaron Siskind was asignificantartist/teacher. They show us and they explain forus, through primary sources and theirown visual and verbal interpretations ofevi- dence, why it is so importantfor us to understand Siskind as a practitionerwho helped define whata photograph really is in the twentieth century. This collaborative effortfollows naturally from an earlier, broader Meyer and Martin Kao project, The Photo League: A Progressive Era in American Photography, which studied relations between theory and practice. The Siskind projectfocuses in on a key League memberto study these relations with more depth. How do we trace the evolution ofa personal vision? How do we interpret, reconstruct, the path and the growth beyond the path's edges? One way is shown by this project'sjuxtaposition of a creative configuration ofgroups of pictures and ephem- era from the firstthird of Siskind’s careerwith an educated selection ofsignificant statements and essays about his work and his teaching (by him and by others, often from the same years, e.g., essays by Siskind and Henry Beetle Hough, 1940; by Siskind and Elaine de Kooning, (1950/51), and two denselyfilled interviews (1963/1977). This inspired montaging ofmaterials frames both the importance of. and the contextforSiskind and his work. Meyer rightfully pointsto Siskind's social documentary experience as a "straight" picturemakerand teacher in the Photo League as the foundation for his move to abstrac- tion and to teachingatthe Institute of Design. As he points out, Towarda Personal Vision is acase study (one artist revealingaspects ofatrend). One ofthe ways in which Martin Kao follows this theme is in a close analysis ofa single Siskind picture ("Lady Preacher") against which we can "test” otherexamples.