Elliott Erwitt Explained

Elliott Erwitt
Birth Name:	Elio Romano Erwitz
Birth Date:	1928 7, mf=yes
Birth Place:	Paris, France
Death Place:	New York, U.S.
Nationality:	French American
Occupation:	Photographer

Elliott Erwitt (born Elio Romano Erwitz, July 26, 1928 – November 29, 2023) was a French-born American advertising and documentary photographer known for his black and white candid photos of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings. He was a member of Magnum Photos from 1953.

Early life

Elliott Erwitt was born in Paris, France on July 26, 1928, to Jewish-Russian immigrant parents, Eugenia and Boris Erwitz, who soon moved to Italy.^{[1] [2]} In 1939, when he was ten, his family migrated to the United States. He studied photography and filmmaking at Los Angeles City College^[3] and the New School for Social Research.^[4] In 1951 he was drafted into the Army, and discharged in 1953.

Photography career

Erwitt served as a photographer's assistant in the 1950s in the United States Army while stationed in France and Germany. After moving to New York in 1948, he met the photographers Edward Steichen, Robert Capa and Roy Stryker.^{[5] [6]} Stryker, the former Director of the Farm Security Administration's photography department, hired Erwitt to work on a photography project for the Standard Oil Company.^[7] He then began a freelance photographer career and produced work for Collier's, Look, Life and Holiday. Erwitt was invited to become a member of Magnum Photos by the founder Robert Capa in 1953.^[8]

Again and again he has also documented socio-political events in his photographs, such as Richard Nixon's visit to the Soviet Union in 1959,^[9] the funeral service for John F. Kennedy in 1963^[10] or the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009.^[11]

One of the subjects Erwitt has frequently photographed in his career is dogs: they have been the subject of five of his books, Son of Bitch (1974), To the Dogs (1992), Dog Dogs (1998), Woof (2005), and Elliott Erwitt's Dogs (2008).^[12]

Erwitt created an alter ego, the beret-wearing and pretentious "André S. Solidor" (which abbreviates to "ass"), " a contemporary artist, from one of the French colonies in the Caribbean, I forget which one" to "satirise the kooky excesses of contemporary photography." His work was published in a book, The Art of André S. Solidor (2009), and exhibited in 2011 at the Paul Smith Gallery in London.^[13]

Erwitt was awarded the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal in 2002 in recognition of a sustained, significant contribution to the art of photography,^[14] a Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellowship in 1994^[15] and the International Center for Photography's Infinity Award, Lifetime Achievement category, in 2011.^[16]

Filmmaking career

From the 1970s, he devoted much of his energy toward movies. His feature films, television commercials, and documentary films included Arthur Penn: the Director (1970), Beauty Knows No Pain (1971), Red, White and Bluegrass (1973) and the prize-winning Glassmakers of Herat, Afghanistan (1977).^[17] He was, as well, credited as camera operator for Gimme Shelter (1970), still photographer for Bob Dylan: No Direction Home (2005), and provided additional photography for Get Yer Ya Ya's Out (2009).^[18]

A collection of Erwitt's films were screened in 2011 as part of the DocNYC Festival's special event "An Evening with Elliott Erwitt".^{[19] [20]}

Philanthropy

In October 2020, Erwitt partnered with the digital collectible cards company Phil Ropy and created a card to raise awareness for Project HOPE's COVID-19 response. The picture on the card shows a pair of medical rubber gloves as a reminder of how exposed health care workers are and as an allusion to Project HOPE's logo.^[21] The proceeds from the sales of the card are redistributed to the organization.^{[22] [23]}

Personal life

Erwitt was married to the German filmmaker and writer Pia Frankenberg for several years.

Death

Erwitt died at his home in New York on November 29, 2023 while sleeping. He was 95.^[24]

Publications

• 1972 – Photographs and Anti-Photographs
• 1972 – Observations on American Architecture
• 1974 – Elliott Erwitt: The Private Experience (In the series "Masters of Contemporary Photography", text by Sean Callahan.) Los Angeles: Petersen. Sean Callahan describes and to some extent explains Erwitt's work.
• 1974 – Son of Bitch, photographs of dogs
• 1978 – Recent Developments
• 1988 – Personal Exposures
• 1991 – On the Beach
• 1992 – To The Dogs
• 1993 – The Angel Tree
• 1994 – Between the Sexes
• 1997 – 100+1 Elliott Erwitt
• 1998 – Dog Dogs A collection of black and white photographs of dogs Erwitt was intrigued by throughout his world travels.
• 1999 – Museum Watching
• 2001 – Snaps. London & New York: Phaidon. A large anthology (over 500 pages) of Erwitt's work.
• 2002 – EE 60/60
• 2002 – Elliott Erwitt's Handbook
• 2005 – Woof
• 2009 – Elliott Erwitt's Rome. teNeues Publishing
• 2009 – Elliott Erwitt's New York
• 2010 – The Art of Andre S. Solidor aka Elliott Erwitt
• 2010 – Elliott Erwitt Personal Best
• 2011 – Elliott Erwitt, Sequentially Yours
• 2012 – Elliott Erwitt XXL – Special and Collectors Edition
• 2013 – Elliott Erwitt's Kolor Kempen, Germany: teNeues .
• 2017 – Pittsburgh 1950 London. Gost. With an essay by Vaughn Wallace. Photographs made in Pittsburgh for Pittsburgh Photographic Library.
• 2018 – Elliot Erwitt's Scotland. teNeues Publishing Company
• 2021 – Found, Not Lost. London. Gost.

Exhibitions

• Roma. Fotografie di Elliott Erwitt, Museo di Roma, Rome, November 2009 – January 2010^[25]
• Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best, International Center of Photography, New York, May–August 2011^[26]
• Elliott Erwitt, Black & White and Kolor, A Gallery for Fine Photography, New Orleans, 2011^[27]
• Elliott Erwitt: Home Around The World, Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 2016–2017^[28]
• Elliott Erwitt: Pittsburgh 1950, International Center of Photography, New York, 2018^[29]
• Elliott Erwitt: A retrospective, Musée Maillol, Paris, 2023^[30]
• Elliott Erwitt. Retrospective in Brussels, Grand Place, Brussels, 2024^[31]

Iconic photographs

• USA, New York City, 1946 – Street-level shot comparing the size of a woman's feet to a chihuahua wearing a sweater.^[32]
• USA, North Carolina, Segregated Water Fountains, 1950.
• USA, New York City, 1953 – Image of Erwitt's wife looking at their baby on a bed lit by window light.
• USA, NYC, Felix, Gladys, and Rover, 1974 – Image of a woman's booted feet between that of a Great Dane's legs and a little chihuahua.
• USSR, Russia, Moscow, Nikita Khrushchev and Richard Nixon, 1959 – Powerful Cold War image in which Nixon is poking his index finger at Khrushchev's suit lapel.
• USA, California, 1955 – Image of a side-view mirror of an automobile parked facing a beach sunset, with a playful couple shown in the mirror as the focal point.

Collections

Erwitt's work is held in the following permanent collections:

• Harry Ransom Center, Austin, TX^{[33] [34]}
• International Center of Photography, New York, NY^[35]
• Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, GA^[36]
• Met Museum, New York, NY^[37]
• International Photography Hall of Fame, St.Louis, MO^[38]
• Richard M. Ross Art Museum, Delaware, OH

External links

• (requires Flash)
• Elliott Erwitt collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
• Magnum Photos portfolio
• Robert Koch Gallery portfolio
• Peter Conrad, "Elliott Erwitt's law of intended consequences", The Observer, 20 February 2011
• Encyclopædia Britannica
• Elliott Erwitt's Personal Best eBook, 2011
• Elliott Erwitt's print archive is placed at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin
• PDNB Gallery, Dallas, Texas

Notes and References

1. Web site: Elliott Erwitt | Documentary Photographer & Filmmaker | Britannica . July 22, 2023 .
2. Web site: Best in show. John. O'Mahony. December 27, 2003. The Guardian.
3. Web site: Horton . Adrian . Elliott Erwitt, acclaimed American photographer, dies at 95 . The Guardian . 1 December 2023 . 30 November 2023.
4. Web site: Remembering Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023) Magnum Photos Magnum Photos . Magnum Photos . 1 December 2023.
5. News: O'Mahony . John . 2003-12-27 . Best in show . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-12-01 . 0261-3077.
6. Web site: Regarding Elliott: Photographs by Elliott Erwitt . 2023-12-01 . Weinstein Hammons Gallery . en-US.
7. Web site: Gallery: Elliott Erwitt . 2023-12-01 . Duncan Miller Gallery . en-US.
8. Moakley. Paul. Elliott Erwitt's Very Own Personal Best. Time.
9. Web site: Elliott Erwitt | Nikita Khrushchev & Richard Nixon, Moscow, USSR (1959) | Artsy .
10. Web site: Jacqueline Kennedy at John F. Kennedy's Funeral. Arlington, Virginia. November 25, 1963.. Magnum Photos Store.
11. Web site: How photography changed with the Presidential race | photography | Agenda | Phaidon .
12. News: A drastic change of image: Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt has crafted a glorious alter ego. Cripps. Charlotte. February 10, 2011. The Independent. April 24, 2011.
13. News: Who is André S. Solidor?. The Week. February 10, 2011. February 24, 2011.
14. Web site: Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Award . August 13, 2012 . December 1, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121201070248/http://www.rps.org/annual-awards/Centenary-Medal . dead .
15. Honorary Fellowship https://rps.org/about/awards/history-and-recipients/honorary-fellowship/
16. Web site: Infinity Awards 2011 . March 16, 2014 . . Lifetime Achievement: Elliott Erwitt.
17. News: O'Mahony . John . 2003-12-27 . Best in show . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-12-01 . 0261-3077.
18. Web site: Elliott Erwitt Camera and Electrical Department, Director, Cinematographer . 2023-12-01 . IMDb . en-US.
19. Web site: AN EVENING WITH ELLIOTT ERWITT . 2023-12-01 . DOC NYC . en-US.
20. Web site: 2020-01-08 . An Evening with Elliott Erwitt . 2023-12-01 . International Center of Photography . en.
21. Web site: Supporter Spotlight: Phil Ropy . Scott Latta . 2020-10-13 . Project HOPE.
22. Web site: Elliott Erwitt: 'Photography is pretty simple. You just react to what you see' . Nadja Sayej . 2020-11-09 . The Guardian.
23. Web site: 'Works of Imagination' Sale Features Work of Prized Photographers . Rosemary Feitelberg . 2020-10-19 . WWD.
24. Web site: Woodward . Richard . 2023-11-30 . Elliott Erwitt, Whose Photos Are Famous, and Often Funny, Dies at 95 . 2023-11-30 . The New York Times . en-US.
25. Web site: Elliott Erwitt at the Museo di Roma . 2023-12-01 . www.ft.com.
26. News: Johnson . Ken . 2011-06-09 . Captured: A New York Minute, or One in Havana . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-12-01 . 0362-4331.
27. Web site: New Orleans : Elliott Erwitt, Black & White and Kolor. L'oeil de la Photographie. June 17, 2016 .
28. Web site: Exhibition Presents Unprecedented Study of Renowned Photographer Elliott Erwitt's Life and Work. University of Texas Austin News. June 21, 2016. June 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160621134219/http://news.utexas.edu/2016/06/20/exhibition-of-photographer-elliott-erwitt-s-life-and-work. dead.
29. Web site: Elliott Erwitt: Pittsburgh 1950. March 7, 2018. International Center of Photography. en. January 22, 2019.
30. Web site: Official website of the Musée Maillol .
31. Web site: The exhibition of the great photographer Elliott Erwitt now at the Grand Place in Brussels! .
32. Web site: Mistry . Phil . 2022-06-05 . Elliott Erwitt: A Conversation with the Master Photographer at 93 . 2024-02-29 . PetaPixel . en.
33. Web site: Elliott Erwitt Photography Collection . Harry Ranson Center – University of Texas at Austin . February 21, 2020.
34. News: The life and works of Elliott Erwitt – in pictures . The Guardian . August 14, 2016 . February 21, 2020.
35. Web site: Elliott Erwitt . International Center of Photography . July 15, 2018 . February 21, 2020.
36. Web site: Elliott Erwitt . Jackson Fine Art . February 21, 2020.
37. Web site: Elliott Erwitt Collection . Met Museum . February 21, 2020.
38. Web site: Elliott Erwitt . International Photography Hall of Fame . February 21, 2020.