" In photography there is always an opportunity to develop your talent and yourself. There is always discovery, and the use of light is an elusive medium to express the human face. You can understand it, but you rarely master it."
This exhibition celebrates the centenary of the birth of one of the greatest portraitists in the history of photography. It may be said that, through his portraits, Karsh helped to create our collective visual memory of Winston Churchill, Marian Anderson, Albert Schweitzer, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, and many others.
Yousuf Karsh learned photographic portraiture in the late 1920s the way 19th-century practitioners had: as an apprentice. His concern for the sitter’s character and worth along with his exquisite manners brought him modest success first in the studio in Ottawa, Canada, which he operated from 1932 to 1992. Having become the favorite photographer of Canadian politicians, in December 1941 he was asked to photograph Winston Churchill after one of the Prime Minister’s most famous speeches. That defiant and scowling portrait became an instant icon of Britain’s stand against fascism. From that time on, Karsh became internationally renowned and a long list of statesmen, artists, musicians, writers, actors, and celebrities sat before his camera.
Throughout his long career, Karsh put aside a selection of his own favorite prints of his favorite subjects that are now in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. These prints, drawn from that collection, along with some additions made by former curator of photography David Travis, are being shown here together for the first time ever.
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On Nov 4th there's a screening of "Karsh is History: Yousuf Karsh and Portrait Photography" with commentary and discussion afterwards with USC Photography Professor Robbert Flick (Flick was one of the Four Evenings with Fine Art Photographer speakers earlier this year). The screening is at noon. (INFO)
August 19-November 23, 2010
USC Fisher Museum of Art
823 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90089
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