Philadelphia, PA
(215) 763-8100
Mary Ellen Mark: Photographs
"Mary Ellen
Mark: Photographs" is the first major exhibition to focus exclusively
on the acclaimed photographer's extensive American work. On view in the
Berman and Stieglitz Galleries of the Philadelphia Museum of Art from May
13 through August 6, 2000, the exhibition will feature some 141 black-and-white
photographs, many of which have never been exhibited. Included are powerful
photographs from several of Mark's well-known projects, including "Streetwise,"
"Beauty Pageants," "Rural Poverty," "Texas Rodeos,"
"The Damm Family," and "Christian Bikers." (left:
Tiny in Her Halloween Costume, Seattle WA, 1983, Copyright Mary Ellen
Mark)
Unsurpassed in bringing icon-like presence to her subjects, whether "everyday" or unusual, Mark (born 1940) was recently voted "Most Influential Woman Photographer of All Time" by readers of American Photo magazine. In "Mary Ellen Mark: Photographs," her empathic and penetrating vision is revealed in photographs that range from poignant images of a family living in its car or the devastated lives of women in a mental ward, to the exploits of Miami gigolos, spring-break revelers, prom-goers, cross-dressers, and trick-or-treaters.
Viewed together, Mark's images form an arresting
view of the United States, from innocuous backyard activities to the harshness
of street life and the quirkiness of its subcultures. "Mary Ellen Mark:
Photographs" presents a compelling look at a vast and endlessly fascinating
country, from Coney Island to Daytona and Miami. Sometimes sad, sometimes
funny, occasionally shocking and bizarre, Mark touches on the essence of
American life, and looks for the common threads that connect us all. (left:
Central Park, New York City, 1967, gelatin silver print, 16 x 20
inches, Collection of Mary Ellen Mark, Copyright Mary Ellen Mark, 382-1999-2)
Mark studied painting and art history at
the University of Pennsylvania, and photojournalism at Penn's Annenberg
School of Communications. She has published 11 books, and lectures at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University. For almost three
decades, Mark has traveled extensively, and her images of the world's diverse
cultures have become landmarks in the field of documentary photography.
Her portrayals of Mother Theresa, Indian circuses, and brothels in Bombay
were the product of many years of work in India (Mark's photographs were
featured in "India: A Celebration of Independence, 1947-1997,"
a major touring exhibition organized by the Alfred Stieglitz Center of the
Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was on view at the Museum from July 6
through August 31, 1997). Mark's photo essay on runaway children in Seattle
inspired Streetwire, an Academy Award-winning film produced by the
photographer and directed by her husband, the filmmaker Martin Bell. (left:
Jeff Gilman and Stacy Spivey, McKee, Kentucky, 1990, gelatin silver
print, 16 x 20 inches, Collection of Mary Ellen Mark, Copyright Mary Ellen
Mark, 382-1999-4)
"Mary Ellen Mark: Photographs" is organized by
Aperture Foundation, New York. Michael E. Hoffman, Executive Director of
Aperture Foundation, and Melissa Harns, Senior Editor, are guest curators
of the exhibition. The accompanying 151-page catalogue, published by Aperture,
features exquisite tri-tone reproductions of the works comprising the exhibition.
Read more about the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Resource Library Magazine
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