He is the recipient of two guggenheim fellowships and three nea grants, and his photographs are included in numerous private and public collections. He taught at the san francisco art institute from 1973 to 2014, and published several books. Photographs of a manaltered landscape elevated banal, overlooked, and unnatural vistas to the realm of fine artand not everyone was happy about it. Photographs of a manaltered landscape exhibition of 1975. Henry wessel new topographics photography azurebumble.
Like his contemporaries robert adams, stephen shore, and bernd and hilla becher, baltz focused his camera on the unassuming green spaces and architecture of tract housing, office parking lots, and industrial parks. Henry wessel discusses taking photographs while on the road. Photographs of a manaltered landscape was one of those rare exhibitions that effect a permanent change in the development of an art form. Signalling the emergence of a new approach to landscape, the exhibition effectively gave a name to a movement. The show brought together ten contemporary photographers who collectively defined the. He is the recipient of two guggenheim fellowships and three national endowment for the arts grants. In 1975 he was one of ten photographers included in. Roberts adams, lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe. Henry wessel july 28, 1942 september 20, 2018 was an american photographer and educator. Wessel was 76, and had been suffering from lung cancer, the chronicle reported. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Henry wessel, via pacemacgill gallery, new york john szarkowski, the legendary curator of photography, gave mr. He made obdurately spare and often wry blackand white pictures of vernacular scenes in the american west.
Photographs of a manaltered landscape by adams, robert, lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, nicholas nixon, john schott, stephen shore and henry wessel, jr. Adams robert lewis baltz bernd and hilla becher joe deal. Wikipedia entry introduction henry wessel july 28, 1942 september 20, 2018 was an american photographer and educator. New topographics revisits seminal 1975 photography. His first solo exhibition was curated by john szarkowski at the museum of modern art in new york in 1972. Henry wessel, among the nations most prominent artists in the medium of photography and a bay area resident for four decades, died at his point richmond home on thursday, sept.
Photographs of a manaltered landscape represented a paradigm shift in the history of photography. Robert adams, lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, nicholas nixon, john schott, stephen shore, and henry wessel. Wikipedia, january 20, 2017 henry wessel, jr henry wessel born 1942 in teaneck, new jersey is an american photographer noted for his descriptive, yet poetic photographs of the human environment. New topographics will be of special interest to regional visitors. Nine then young photographers were selected by curator william jenkins to show ten prints each at the international museum of photography at the george eastman house rochester, new york, from october 1975 until february 1976. Henry wessel henry wessel was an american photographer and educator. Photographer henry wessel discusses the importance of remaining aware when taking a picture.
Photographs of a manaltered landscape was one of those rare exhibitions that permanently alters how an art form is perceived. Its one of the best books ive seen in a long time, no doubt, and features three of his seminal projects from the past. During the 1970s wessel moved to san francisco from new york after. The 10 artists featured in the show were united by what. Jul 20, 2015 explore mtownrickys board henry wessel jr. Henry wessel new topographics photography henry wessel pismo beach, ca photographs and gelatin silver print the late american photographer henry wessel was revered for his compelling black and white images, shot throughout the western american states of california and. Photographer henry wessel at the installation of his exhibition at the san francisco museum of modern art in 2007. He studied psychology at penn state university, graduating in 1966. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids.
He was the recipient of two guggenheim fellowships and three national endowment for the arts grants. Photographer henry wessel, who was part of the new topographics movement of the 1970s, died september 20 at his point richmond, california home, according to a report in the san francisco chronicle. Youre suddenly seeing the coherence and interconnectedness of everything, left to right, bottom to top, front to back. The slim, periwinkle hardcover book was recently published by steidl, and of course, they are known for good taste. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices.
Henry wessel is an american photographer known for his blackandwhite images of the american west. The show was curated by william jenkins at the international museum of photography at the george eastman house rochester, new york, and remained open to the public from october 1975 until february 1976 the exhibition had a ripple effect. Even today, the catchphrase new topographics is used to characterize the work of artists not yet born when the exhibition was held. Photographs of a manaltered landscape was an exhibition that. Nevertheless, the exhibitions main title seems to be indelibility. The picture show in 1975, eight young americans and one german couple were featured in an exhibition that pretty much flew. Wessel a oneman show at the museum of modern art in 1972. He was the recipient of two guggenheim fellowships and three national endowment for the. Robert adams, lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, nicholas nixon, john schott, stephen shore, henry wessel, jr. This restaging of the exhibition includes the work of all 10 photographers from the original show. See more ideas about human environment, art grants and new topographics. Deal, frank gohlke, nicholas nixon, john schott, stephen shore, henry wessel. Henry wessel, courtesy pacemacgill gallery, new york. So then in 1975, this show comes around, the new topographics, that william jenkins curates for the george eastman house in rochester ny, where your work is shown with that of robert adams, frank gohlke, stephen shore, joe deal, henry wessel, jr.
This retrospective look at the career of henry wessel, one of the late twentieth centurys most original and dryly funny photographers, tracks his contribution to the new topographics movement of the 1970s and continues through more than 30 years of incisive observations on the american social landscape. Lewis baltz on new topographics and exhibition remakes. Photographs of a manaltered landscape, held in 1975 at the international museum of photography, and demonstrates both the historical significance of the show and its continued relevance in todays culture the exhibition brought together lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, henry wessel. Wessel, if youre not familiar, was a part of the famed new topographics movement, documenting the california cultural landscape with a. San francisco in its quiet way, the henry wessel show here at the museum of modern art is a revelation, one of the seasons sleepers. This book is dedicated to the exhibition new topographics. Please improve this by adding secondary or tertiary sources. The exhibition brought together lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, henry wessel. Henry wessel new topographics photographer with a leica lfi. With shots of disused warehouses and eerily empty streets, the new topographics photographers trained their cameras on the creeping urbanisation and industry of 1970s america.
Photographs of a manaltered landscape is coorganized by the center for creative. Robert adams, lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank. Photographs of a manaltered landscape was an exhibition that epitomized a key moment in american landscape photography. Birthed against the 1970s backdrop of increasing urban decay and resultant white flight into the suburbs, the landmark 1975 george eastman museum exhibition new topographics. Henry wessel was an american photographer and educator.
Many of the exhibiting photographers had concerns with the exhibitions main title, new topographics, but found appealing the exhibitions subtitle, photographs of a manaltered landscape, which at the time, the use of the term manaltered was still politically correct. This article relies too much on references to primary sources. Lewis baltz, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, frank gohlke, henry wessel. New topographics held at the international museum of photography in rochester, new york, in january 1975, the new topographics. April 2011 learn how and when to remove this template message. Because ive just put down the sublime and perfectly titled incidents, by the underappreciated new topographics badass henry wessel. At an offcampus bookstore where he worked he came upon mr. Held at the international museum of photography in rochester, new york, in january 1975, it was curated by william jenkins, who brought together ten contemporary photographers. Lewis baltz was an american photographer best known for his involvement in the seminal new topographics. The work of the recently deceased bayarea photographer, henry wessel, is renowned for its fragmentary and compelling nature, each image urging imaginative leaps towards the fatalism and moral ambiguity of noir film and fiction. Henry wessel new topographics photographer with a leica.
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