At last my Dissertation Proposal is drafted!

Title:

What impact did Albert Stieglitz and the 291 Gallery have on the American Art World?

Aims

<   To put forward suggestions  about the influence that the photographer Alfred Stieglitz, who set up the gallery, had in helping to shape and define the course of American Photography and Art with the introduction of new pieces of art work and artists into his innovative 291 Gallery.

     To analyse the importance of the gallery at a time when the artists featured where not necessarily considered to be successful or even well known in America

     To analyse whose art work was involved in this new era and examine if Alfred Stieglitz came across any barriers while trying to achieve showing their art work at the Gallery

     To critically discuss  what people’s train of thoughts towards art and photography were and what their perceptions were prior to the viewing and also their reaction to the new pieces of work

     To attempt to show how Alfred Stieglitz‘s way of looking at all art was enhanced by his upbringing and was possibly different from the average gallery visitor’s

     To assess the success of his gallery venture, by evaluating the success or failure of those artists he viewed as having potential and gave opportunities to, with specific references to Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe,  Ansel Adams and Paul Strand 

     To compare the gallery’s function at the beginning of the 20th Century as that of being a place of innovation, with a later artistic venture of artists involved with Beautiful Losers

Reasons for this choice:

This area of mixed art and photography is of particular interest when researching more about Alfred Stieglitz, his work and the influence he has had on current photography styles. Famous artists’ lives and their works came to be in the public’s eye as a result of the gallery’s success and possibly it is a debateable point as to whether the great American public would have accepted this modern work if Stieglitz had not brought it to their attention.

How important is it that artists have the opportunity to exhibit in galleries such as this?

It was purely by chance that information about the 291 Gallery was stumbled upon. The work of Cheryl Dunn was previously considered as a possible subject that would fit together with Albert Stieglitz’s Street Photography. However, after initial research it became obvious that apart from some existing photographic evidence of her recent work, research would possibly be a problem as historical information about her was not readily available. The accuracy of the information could not be verified as accurate or pertinent to the ideas put forward as aims for this dissertation.

The photographic work of Alfred Stieglitz was accessed whilst studying for another photography course. Many of his images, such as “WINTER ON FIFTH AVENUE” (1893) appear to freeze time giving a particular window to look through into his era. His imagery is captivating and evocative as the use of the black and white image makes the photograph that much stronger.  As for his night time photographs; the images are of particular visual appeal. This is a form of imagery called Urban Photography and is closely linked to Street Photography and is a relatively new concept for this writer.

Initial research has highlighted that Stieglitz was an important figure in New York when it came to informing the American public and art critics about more world-wide trends, whereas prior to this era they were less open to new ways of looking at art interpretation. This research also hopes to highlight specific artists who Stieglitz, together with Eduard Steichen, considered worthy of promoting and were very important to the development of the understanding of the emerging art trends.

This is to be made evident by:

1.            Library books, journals and correspondence

2.            Various reliable Internet websites

3.            Documentaries and film archives

4.            Various books I have in my possession on photography

5.            Looking into archived documents

6.            Quotations from various sources

7.            Written articles published in The American Amateur Photographer

Context:

His photographic compositions indicate Stieglitz’s ability to take a photograph that simply and effectively makes you aware of the “Here and Now”. His methodology is an illustration of the style that is a personal ideal to aspire to. A record of the times in which we live is something that a photographer should be documenting. He was producing images of the old and the new. New York was being built and new styles and heights of buildings were being developed and he was on the spot and able to keep a visual record of things as they happened. Together with Georgia O’Keeffe he moved into one of these new skyscraper’s apartments and was in an excellent position to capture imagery that fully exploited the new trends. Personal study can be linked to this aspect by comparisons with personal photography during city visits.

At first, the interest was purely regarding the photographs that Stieglitz produced. After refining the aim of the dissertation, the author has discovered so much more in relation to the development of the 291 Gallery. The focus has now shifted. The main focus will be on the importance of the gallery itself and its usefulness as a vehicle for others to show their talents.

Further aspects and questions about these issues:

How people didn’t think Picasso was important

That rubbing shoulders with other important people developed the effectiveness of Stieglitz as an entrepreneur

It makes we wonder about the importance of upbringing - can it be influential in the development of a person’s character and ideals?

That little is mentioned of his daughter – which makes me think was he an estranged father?

How did his daughter come to view her father and his life?

Would we ever have heard of Georgia O’Keeffe if it hadn’t have been for the chance meeting between both her and Stieglitz at his gallery?  Her work was catapulted into the limelight as a result and his images of her as a model and became very well-known.

Initial Bibliography:

Voorhies, J. T. (2002 ), My dear Stieglitz: letters of Marsden Hartley and Alfred Stieglitz, 1912-1915. University of South Carolina Press.

Author Not Available. (2005), 20^th Century Photography Museum Ludwig Cologne. Taschen

Davenport, A. (1991), The History of Photography: an overview. Focal Press

Golden, R. (2008), Masters of Photography – classic artists of our time. Carlton BookThe Hudson Review, IncThe Example of Alfred StieglitzAuthor(s): John LougheryReviewed work(s):

Source: The Hudson Review, Vol. 54, No. 2 (Summer, 2001), pp. 286-294Published by: The Hudson Review, Ltd.

Wetzel W. (1989), Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work. Illinois Wesleyan University

Innes W. (1974), Eduard Steichen as Painter and Photographer, 1897-1908. American Art Journal, Kennedy Galleries

Web Links:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pstd/hd_pstd.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ansel/peopleevents/p_aadams.html

http://www.humanitiesweb.org/spa/rai/ID/227

http://www.ursusbooks.com/item23685.html

http://www.askart.com/AskART/interest/Modernism_4.aspx?id=77

http://www.artsmia.org/get-the-picture/stieglitz/index.html

http://www.georgia-okeeffe.com/gallery291.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stgl/hd_stgl.htm

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/566170/Alfred-Stieglitz

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-stieglitz-alfred.htm

http://www.underbridgepictures.com/pages/Pictorialism.html

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/events/exhibitions/in-the-musee-dorsay/exhibitions-in-the-musee-dorsay-more/article/new-york-et-lart-moderne-alfred-stieglitz-et-son-cercle-1905-1930-4217.html?S=&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=649&cHash=8b484e5928&print=1&no_cache=1&

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edph/hd_edph.htm

http://www.all-art.org/20ct_photo/Stieglitz1.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/stieglitz_a.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/alfred-stieglitz/introduction/69/

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stgp/hd_stgp.htm

Documentaries:

http://www.metmuseum.org/metmedia/video/collections/curatorial-departments/ph/stieglitz-and-the-new-york-art-scene

Alfred Stieglitz: The Eloquent Eye (1999) - YouTube

Film References:

 Georgia O'Keeffe (2009)

-  Biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

                Director: Bob Balaban        Writer: Michael Cristofer