Southern Photography

It was great sadness to hear the news of Bruce Roberts' passing.  He was kind, compassionate and dedicated to the craft of photography and print making.  Welcoming me into his home, Bruce was incredibly generous with his time, sharing stories about current events across the US, particularly in the South, during the 1960s.  As technology accelerates, I hope we do not lose personal connections and friendships made across from kitchen tables and the art of film that has captured eyes for over 100 years.  History is yet to determine such things, but what I know will remain is that Bruce Roberts will always be known as one of the best to photograph the Civil Rights movement that changed the world. 

Growing up in Mississippi, a complex and often heated bedrock for political discussion, a series of books, travels, and conversations made me aware of the South’s complex racial problems, even as young child.   And it has been through my constant work of mining Civil Rights photographs that I have come to some understanding of racial inequality and injustice.  I hope I have been part of change.

Looking back over my shoulder, so much of the procurement in my life occurred in the compacted time of my senior year at Ole Miss and it has taken me years of couch sitting in my SueBella’s therapy office to process so much of it.  That time is undoubtedly when my life shifted and my career as an art dealer began.

My childhood was rich. I was raised in a secure family, dwelling in the nostalgically beautiful southern town of Clarksdale, Mississippi, which sits on the Sunflower River, a small tributary of the Mississippi River, the widest river in the world and arguably the most aggressive.  This majestic entity—and its parallel levee—has appropriately been the setting for masterpieces by the literary Greats:  Eudora Welty, Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams, Walker Percy, among others.    

The modest James Karales only occasionally printed his work and rarely presented it in exhibitions or publications beyond the initial assignment for which it was created.  delving into his meticulously preserved archive, I worked to share Karales's voice with a larger audience, focusing on the period 1960-65.

This blog is Part Three (and the final installment) in a resource series for the new and seasoned photography collector. Here, I'll offer tips on buying art at commercial retail venues and auctions, as well as archiving and framing your collection. This blog specifically outlines photography terminology for a quick "study" before viewing and purchasing photography. Follow this series of blogs for a quick resource when looking for and buying photography.

I confess only one regret as a Mississippian:  that I never met Ms. Eudora Welty, the great writer and photographer whose words and images have offered me consistent, generous inspiration.  As I was reminded during a recent visit to her home at 1119 Pinehurst Street, Jackson, a failure of courage deprived me of a chance to have the privilege of knowing her. I have since tried mightily to rectify this misjudgment by immersing myself in her photography, learning about the person posthumously through her lens.

This blog is Part Two in a resource series for the new and seasoned photography collector. Here, I'll offer tips on buying art at commercial retail venues and auctions, as well as archiving and framing your collection. Further, the guide outlines photography terminology and a selected bibliography. Follow this series of blogs for a quick resource when looking for and buying photography.