Norton Photography Gallery
March 10 - June 17, 2012
W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978), a compassionate and intense photojournalist, was tremendously prolific from the Second World War through the midpoint of the 20th century. He produced a series of essays for Life magazine which made an impact on American culture then and have continued to be poignant testaments from this period of rich cultural transition. The power of the photographs and the success of his essays were a result of Smith’s intimate involvement with his subjects.This exhibition will draw on the Center for Creative Photography’s W. Eugene Smith archive to illustrate some of these groundbreaking essays, including coverage of the WWII Pacific theater and post-war stories such as “Country Doctor” of 1948, and “Spanish Village” and “Nurse Midwife” of 1951. In addition to fine prints, copies of vintage Life magazines will be on view, along with Smith’s own contact sheets, hand-written notes, correspondence and other personal documents.
Image Credits
Left: W. Eugene Smith, Dr. Ernest Ceriani Following the Loss of a Mother and Child During Childbirth, 1948. Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: W. Eugene Smith Archive. © 1981 The Heirs of W. Eugene Smith.
Right: W. Eugene Smith, Dr. Ceriani Going from House to Hospital, 1948. Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: W. Eugene Smith Archive. © 1981 The Heirs of W. Eugene Smith.
