AARON SISKIND "CHICAGO 48" PHOTO

Aaron Siskind (1903-1992) started his career as a documentary photographer and a member of the Photo League. 

He and his colleagues were interested in photography as a tool to record and address social inequalities of the day.

Many of his images from the 1930's for example explored life in Harlem.

In the early 1940's Siskind drifted away from social depictions preferring to capture images that focused on textures and shapes. Images of advertising fragments, graffiti and sidewalks become engaging and hypnotic because of their abstract qualities rather than the subject matter.

As a result he became one of the first "abstract" photographers. Siskind's aesthetic and sensibility evolved parallel to the Abstract Expressionist movement.

As a result he was the only photographer to be included in the groundbreaking 9th Street Art exhibition organized by Leo Castelli. 

This image, a paradigm of Siskind's depictions of urban edge, can be read as metaphors for the ambiance or struggles of a particular city.

Aaron Siskind is an essential artist to include if starting a collection of photography.

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Signed, titled and dated and inscribed "C6, '48, M4," by the artist verso.

Gelatin silver print