“Focus on Four” at Newport Art Museum

From my review of “Focus on Four” at the Newport Art Museum:

Photography has been New England’s greatest contribution to art of the past century. The names amount to a who’s-who of the medium — from Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind at RISD; to Gregory Crewdson in western Massachusetts and Joel Meyerowitz on Cape Cod; to Eliot Porter in Maine; to Harold “Doc” Edgerton, Berenice Abbott, Nan Goldin, and Nicholas Nixon in Boston.

“Focus on Four” at the Newport Art Museum samples Rhode Island’s contribution with black-and-white photographs that Gertrude Käsebier, Lewis Hine, Charlotte Estey, and Aaron Siskind made in the Ocean State as well as elsewhere, plus supplementary photos by mentors, followers, and friends like Harry Callahan. This sharp sampler isn’t a comprehensive survey, more like stepping stones across a century.

Read the rest here.

“Focus on Four” at the Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave., Newport, Oct. 24, 2009, to Jan. 24, 2010.

Pictured from top to bottom: Lewis Hine, “A beautiful young spinner and doffer in Interlaken Mill, Arkwright, RI. She has worked there 1 year. Looked 12 yrs. old and had a hectic flush caused by warm, close atmosphere. April 17, 1909,” courtesy of Slater Mill, Pawtucket, RI, gift of Mrs. C. Raymond Munson, in memory of Alice Hunt and Edith Woodhead Marshall; Gertrude Käsebier, “Hermine Turner and her Nephew Charles,” 1903, courtesy of Lee Gallery, Andover, Mass.; Gertrude Käsebier, “Happy Days,” 1903, collection of Patrick Montgomery; Gertrude Käsebier, “The Manger,” c. 1899, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C., gift of the Holladay Foundation; Lewis Hine, “Housing conditions, Rear of Republican Street, Providence, RI, Nov. 23, 1912,” courtesy of Slater Mill, Pawtucket, RI, gift of Mrs. C. Raymond Munson, in memory of Alice Hunt and Edith Woodhead Marshall;
Charlotte Estey, “Girl in Confirmation Dress, Wickenden St., Providence, RI,” c.1950 and “[Wrought Iron Gate, The Breakers,]” Newport, RI,” both courtesy the Rhode Island Historical Society; Aaron Siskind, “Thames Street,” #3, 1974; “Providence 9,” 1983, and “Providence 82,” 1986, collection of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Chazan.