Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand

[Nicholas Whitman]

Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand

At the MET in NYC

http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={EC47F3BF-9FEB-444B-BBF6-E81E4748C49F}


For large formatters, alt processors, historians of photo history, 20th century art history and anyone interested in seeing master works by some of the medium's giants this is a must see show!

The website listed is excellent, do take the time to delve in. There is a detailed description of each image. I wish I'd spent a couple of hours reviewing the site before I saw the show.

I won't take the time to describe the background or history of these workers. Suffice to saw they are likely in most of our dna if not our daily conscious awareness.

I would easily see any one of these workers alone but to have three shown together, why the synergy is just super. Each photographer is shown in their own adjacent room. While there were relationships, personal and aesthetic between them that is not the focus of the exhibit.

Just as any one of these photographers would be worth going out to see, a show with this variety of print types by masters of the medium would also be a worthy draw. There are platinum, palladium, gum over platinum, gel/silver, gravure, carbon and autochromes(facsimiles). There are prints from enlarged negatives for the contact processes and of course rock solid contact prints from original negatives. There are tiny, jewel sized prints and Steichen's big honking moody, painterly moon lit landscapes.

Also a treat for us working photographers are examples of the working process. Such as multiple variations on Stieglitz's "The Terminal", which shows the full frame and cropped version and versions in gel/silver, and gravure. With Steichen there are there variations of a "Flat Iron building at dusk". Light, medium and dark - they are all different and all have merit - no wonder they show all three - how would you just pick one?

There are some concerning aspects to the show. First the light levels are low - no doubt to protect the photographs, but really you can't see the images properly. Also the color temperature of the light is almost candle light orange and that of course puts a nasty wash over everything. I don't understand why they don't use low doses of white light rather than rheostat down the regular lights. So - shine an orange light on a yellowing image and you get some putrid tones. Or take a dark printer like Strand and well - it is too dark to see.

Sadly a very large percentage of all the prints show a significant amount of yellowing. I believe the platinum and palladium prints were cleared in acid which was not neutralized and has degraded the paper. Even the gel/silvers have degraded. Image degradation is so pervasive across workers that one must assume lax processing this was standard operating procedure. Give Ansel credit for recognizing this issue and stressing proper fixing and washing.

Also a bit of a disappointment was the large number of gravures in the Strand section. They are really nice gravures to be sure - but I much prefer see original prints - and expect them in a museum show. Also in the Strand section are some really mediocre prints from enlarged negatives. It's actually kind of cool to see a master printer struggle - it is a little peak behind the curtain.

For serious workers, such as are on this forum, the best part of the show is to view these original objects and contemplate the many clues reviled about their creation.

Oh and as if this show wasn't enough in the adjacent rooms there is a show of early twentieth century photography. The stand out for me? - a handful of Charles Sheelers.

Five stars - don't miss this one!

[Jim Noel]

A terrific link. Thanks for putting it on.

[36cm2]

Funnily enough, I found the site on my own a half hour ago, before reading this. Definitely going this weekend. Very excited.

[Brian Ellis]

Too bad about the light. I saw an exhibit of Stieglitz work in Washington, D.C. a few years ago where the light was so dim you couldn't see the already-dark photographs as they surely were meant to be seen. I really don't understand the point of preservation when it's carried to this kind of extreme. If the lighting is so bad that you can't see the photographs, what's the point of preserving them?

[Drew Wiley]

Shows like this one often have to rely on quite a few works on loan from private collections. The insurance issues alone probably mandate the low light levels.

[John Jarosz]

I really don't understand the point of preservation when it's carried to this kind of extreme. If the lighting is so bad that you can't see the photographs, what's the point of preserving them?

The Art Institute of Chicago does the same thing. Everyone should be issued miners hats with flashlights attached.

They only put prints on display because they hafto. If it was up to the curators no one would ever see these except the curators - the public be damned.

John

[cowanw]

Can any one who knows the New york/ Washington area post what would be the best way for an out of towner (Canadian) to see both this and the The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC which has TruthBeauty Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art now.
If I fly to and stay in New York, how does one get to Washington? Can it be a day trip from New York? should I go to stay in Washington and fly home from there? Trains buses Logistics? please and thank you
Regards
Bill

[JamesFromSydney]

For rail, you can catch the Acela express between DC and NYC, downtown to downtown. No airport hassle, all business-class seating, laptop power etc.

That's probably what I'd do for that trip, unless it was much cheaper to fly in and out of the same city.

You can also get flights between the cities, although they can be expensive, especially if booked less than a week ahead.

In DC, if you stay in Arlington VA on the metro line (e.g. Crystal City), you can save quite a lot on hotels, and you're right next to Regan airport. Dulles is not highly recommended.

[cowanw]

Thanks
and Kindest regards
Bill

[John MacKechnie]

And don't forget you can get a cool Camera Work hat or Tee Shirt at the Exhibit. It is possible to order a Camera Work Tee in the online catalogue, but you'll have to visit the Met to get the hat.

John