Edward S. Curtis: A Legacy of Light | Marshall Gallery
Edward S. Curtis, An Oasis In The Badlands, 1905, Goldtone print
Written by Max Wiener
Photographs have an indescribable way of transporting you to a different time and place, effectively warping your reality and planting you in worlds far from your own. Many of the most powerful photographs give us glimpses of spaces and times that we dream of going to, a world of the past that we can only learn about through historical imagery.
Edwin S. Curtis, the world-renowned photographer of the American West, certainly cemented his place as one of the most important photographers of his generation for capturing the iconic lawless frontier better than anyone else on Earth. We all have watched Westerns that romanticize and fictionalize the lives of cowboys and robbers, but Curtis’ work grounds the place and period in a profound truth. There are no gunfights and Clint Eastwood staredowns. It’s a world whose roots have been largely overtaken by the rapid progression of the industrial world, leaving much of its history forgotten.
Edward S. Curtis, Curtis Family Reunion — Vancouver Island, 1914, Goldtone print
At the Fahey Klein Gallery, A Legacy of Light is a massively important exhibition of Curtis’ work, showcasing 16 of his iconic Goldtones from two private collections. They are the benchmark for American Western photography, and through Curtis’ lens, we see an unfiltered glimpse of a forgotten Valhalla of our country. In a world constantly looking to advance and expand, these photographs ground us in values of what we should all stand for and continue to strive for. The series will open on May 4th and close on June 15th.
Edward S. Curtis, In The Land of The Sioux, Portfolio 3, Plate 95, from The North American Indian, 1905, Unique Copper Photogravure Printing Plate
Staring at the American West of Edward S. Curtis is like riding on horseback, with a crisp Western wind blowing through your hair. It’s a visceral viewing experience, a sensory buffet with a unique historical context. The true centerpieces of this series are the ten original Copper Photogravure Printing Plates, each of them an individual part of Curtis’ magnum opus, The North American Indian. It is perhaps one of the most significant photographic endeavors of the 20th century and remains at the forefront of the telling of Native American heritage. Each plate truly shows us the mastery of Edward S. Curtis and his exemplary ability to highlight his subjects in a wonderfully magisterial way. We see figures of old as mythic beings, members of a species that don’t even feel like our own; we almost bow to them. Their culture is meant to be a spectacle because that is how Curtis intended it to be, not displaying them as an act or in a condescending way. Since these plates have been displayed (and before that, unfortunately), Native Americans have been subjected to some of the harshest treatment of any group of individuals in this country. Native American history is American history; their very being is woven into the fabric of this nation. Let us remember that as we coexist with these wonderful individuals.
Edward S. Curtis, Nespilim Girl, Portfolio 7, Plate 246, from The North American Indian, 1905, Unique Copper Photogravure Printing Plate
