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| ABOUT TRaC |
MultiTRaC Fall 2003
Harry Callahan at the Pace/MacGill Gallery Upon entering the Pace/MacGill Gallery, something caught my eye: the simplicity. At first I groaned mentally and thought, "Oh great, another typical contemporary-looking black-and-white room with bright lights, hardwood flooring and tiny black print," but then I actually got to viewing Harry Callahan's work. I found that in his works, in addition to exploring pictorial possibilities of multiple time exposures, extreme contrast, and serial possibilities of pictures, Harry Callahan experimented with the principles of design. As an artist, it is of course difficult to be recognized, and because he experimented with uniquely used principles of design in photography, Callahan deserves much credit. As Callahan said himself, "Photography is an adventure just as life is an adventure." The first two photographs I noticed were taken in Chicago in 1950 and were of many dead leaves clustered together on the ground. From far away (as others also noticed) the leaves resembled many human bodies. Only upon closer inspection was I able to tell what the subject matter actually was. These two photos are excellent examples of Callahan's use of rhythm and balance, resulting in harmony and unity. The next two photographs simply looked like lines crossing each other, but were actually telephone wires. Before looking at the title of the photos, I found myself contemplating what Callahan could possibly photograph to produce a contrast of black lines against a plain white surface. The answer did surprise me quite a bit; the photos were so simple that it was difficult to tell the subject matter. This is one of the unique recurring characteristics of some of Callahan's work. Another two photos taken in Chicago in 1950 were of dark leaves hanging from a branch close to the lens along with a woman standing on the shore at a distance. The woman is out of focus but her figure is distinguishable. She is posed differently in the two photos, with her arms and legs outstretched or at her side. Small waves can be seen rushing onto the white beach. These two photographs create an immense sense of movement, directing the viewer's eye to the woman on the beach, even though the only dark color exists in the leaves hanging overhead. Callahan also experimented with the most popular theme in of all time art: the human form. Many times, his subject was his wife, Eleanor, who often posed in very uncommon positions. Callahan frequently chose to photograph the curves of the female body, which set it apart from other natural beings and forms. Many of his works featuring Eleanor are in an apartment with light filtering through Venetian blinds, creating a very noir effect. These are just some examples of the work of Harry Callahan. Because of his experimentations in photography, Callahan has become known as "the great photographer", has had his work displayed in the Museum of Modern Art, and has even been recognized by former President Bill Clinton. The gallery at Pace/MacGill showed an earlier selection of Callahan's prime works that encompassed his unmatched trials in photography but could have benefited from more examples of Harry Callahan's works if space was not an issue.
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