Portraitist Street Photography
Berenice Alice Abbott was an American photographer best known for her portraits of between-the-wars 20th century cultural figures, New York City photographs of architecture and urban design of the 1930s, and science interpretation in the 1940s to 1960s.
Manuel Álvarez Bravo was an Mexican visionary photographer whose work vividly illustrates the cultural heritage of Latin America. His unique perspective on life and superb photographic skills have inspired generations of photographers around the world.
Alvarez Bravo was known for his experiments with light and shadows, composition and form. His surreal photographs were often full of mystery and enigma, while also reflecting the difficulties and contradictions of Mexican society in the first half of the 20th century.
Alvarez Bravo's work marvellously combined aesthetic beauty with profound social context. His work is not only inspiring in its beauty but also a reminder of the importance of preserving peoples' cultural heritage and history.
Harry Callahan was an American photographer and artist who is best known for his innovative and experimental work in the mid-20th century. He was began his artistic career as a painter before turning to photography.
Callahan's photographic work was characterized by his interest in abstraction, pattern, and form. He often photographed everyday objects and scenes, such as street signs, buildings, and landscapes, and used his camera to explore the beauty and complexity of the world around him.
Callahan was also known for his work as a teacher, and he taught photography at the Rhode Island School of Design for many years. His students included notable photographers such as Aaron Siskind and Ray K. Metzker, and he was known for his rigorous and challenging approach to teaching.
Callahan's legacy as an artist and photographer continues to influence contemporary photography and art. His innovative techniques and distinctive style continue to inspire new generations of artists, and his work is recognized as a significant contribution to the history of photography.
Imogen Cunningham was an American photographer known for her botanical photography, nudes, and industrial landscapes. Cunningham was a member of the California-based Group f/64, known for its dedication to the sharp-focus rendition of simple subjects.
Walker Evans was an American photographer and photojournalist best known for his work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) documenting the effects of the Great Depression. Much of Evans' work from the FSA period uses the large-format, 8×10-inch (200×250 mm) view camera. He said that his goal as a photographer was to make pictures that are "literate, authoritative, transcendent".
Many of his works are in the permanent collections of museums and have been the subject of retrospectives at such institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the George Eastman Museum.
LaToya Ruby Frazier is an American visual artist, renowned for her profound work that delves into social justice, cultural change, and the American experience. Born in 1982 in Braddock, Pennsylvania, Frazier utilizes various media, including photography, video, and performance, to explore themes of industrialism, environmental justice, and human rights. Her art, deeply rooted in collaborative storytelling, often portrays her family and community, offering a lens into the lived experiences of working-class families amid societal and environmental challenges.
Her notable series "The Notion of Family" explores her family's life in Braddock, revealing the impacts of industrial decline on the community and environment. This work not only highlights LaToya Ruby Frazier's personal narrative but also serves as a broader commentary on race, class, and the American industrial landscape. Her commitment to social documentation is further exemplified in projects like "Flint is Family," where she immersed herself in Flint, Michigan, to document the water crisis's impact on local families.
LaToya Ruby Frazier's exhibitions span across prestigious venues in the US and Europe, reflecting her influence and recognition in the art world. Her works are part of esteemed collections like The Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Frazier's accolades include a MacArthur Fellowship, demonstrating her significant contributions to contemporary art and social activism.
For art collectors and experts, Frazier's work offers a compelling intersection of art, activism, and storytelling, providing insightful perspectives on pressing social issues through the lens of personal and community narratives.
To stay informed about LaToya Ruby Frazier's work and related updates, including new product sales and auction events, subscribing to updates is a valuable opportunity for enthusiasts and collectors alike to engage with her impactful artistry and advocacy.
Tina Modotti (born Assunta Adelaide Luigia Modotti Mondini) was an Italian American photographer, model, actor, and revolutionary political activist for the Comintern. She left Italy in 1913 and moved to the United States, where she settled in San Francisco with her father and sister. In San Francisco, Modotti worked as a model and, later, as a photographer. In 1922 she moved to Mexico, where she became an active member of the Mexican Communist Party.
Benjamin Shahn, also known as Ben (Ben / Benjamin Shahn) — Lithuanian-born American artist and photographer. He combined a decorative style of imagery with poignant social themes in his works and is considered one of the most prominent critical artists in the United States. His photographs made him famous as a chronicler of life in New York's working-class and black Southern American communities, as well as the slums of big cities. Many of his street photographs were later used in his paintings and wall panels. He also used newspaper photographs in his work.
Shan's work can be found in many US museums, including the Wichita Museum of Art.
Josef Sudek was a Czech photographer known for his poetic images of Prague and its surroundings. He initially studied bookbinding before becoming interested in photography.
Sudek is known for his use of the large format camera, which allowed him to create highly detailed and nuanced images. He often photographed still lifes, landscapes, and architecture, but his most iconic images are his atmospheric images of Prague, which he captured over the course of several decades.
Sudek's photography is characterized by its emphasis on light, shadow, and texture, and his images often have a dreamlike or poetic quality. He also experimented with different printing techniques, including platinum printing, which gave his photographs a soft and velvety texture.
Despite facing numerous challenges throughout his life, including losing an arm in World War I and facing political persecution during the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Today, he is considered one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, and his work is held in major collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Gallery in Prague.
