Background information
"Sid GROSSMAN and his photographs were largely forgotten after his untimely death in 1955 at the age of forty-two. One of the founders of the left-leaning 'Photo League' (1936–51), he was labeled a Communist and blacklisted in 1949. A demanding and capricious teacher who challenged his students to think critically about all aspects of their photography, his own approach to image-making and his remarkable body of work were constantly evolving.
Content
This monograph on Sid GROSSMAN, the first comprehensive survey of his life and work, contains more than 150 photographs that demonstrate his enduring talent and depth. The images range from his early social documentary work of the late 1930s to the more personal and dynamic street photography of the late 1940s, as well as late experiments with abstraction in both black and white and color. It features a biographical and critical essay by the renowned curator and photo historian, Keith F. Davis, which traces the evolution as a photographer and examines his considerable influence as a teacher.
This volume, 'Sid Grossman. The Life and Work of', concludes with an extensive selection of excerpts from a transcript of tape recordings of a course that Sid GROSSMAN taught in the spring of 1950 in which he expounds his views on photography, art, and creativity." (© Steidl Verlag, 2016)