younger photographs created by Stephen Shore during his adolescence, depicted in his 'Early Work' exhibit, reveal a talent beyond that of an amateur photographer at the age of 13.
Stephen Shore's Early Work: A Journey into the Ordinary
Stephen Shore, a photographer whose work is marked by an affinity for the ordinary charm of a place, recently showcased his early photographs in a collection titled Early Work. This collection, which feels like a full-circle event, represents Shore's attempt to bridge the existential gap between the photographer he hoped to become and the one he is now.
Shore's early photography career began at the tender age of 13, when he took his first photographs between 1960 and 1965. His parents encouraged his interest in photography, but they "never really grasped what was driving him." During this formative period, Shore received a Kodak ABC Darkroom Outfit for his sixth birthday, a Ricoh 35 camera for his eighth, and a copy of Walker Evans's American Photographs (1938) for his tenth.
The photographs in Early Work are composed with a combination of intuition and skill. The earliest photograph in the book is of William Dexter, a headmaster of a boarding school, taking a photograph of a boys' sports team. Shore's shadow can be seen on Dexter's back, a subtle reminder of the young photographer's presence.
The settings of most photographs in Early Work are invariably the street, featuring strangers and their postures. Shore's affinity for the ordinary is evident in these images, as he captures the mundane moments of everyday life with a keen eye for detail.
Throughout his early years, Shore had encounters with photographers like W. Eugene Smith, Dave Heath, and Jonas Mekas, who have stayed with him throughout his life. He also spent a three-year period at Andy Warhol's Factory, where he learned from observing Warhol's creative process.
Remarkably, the selves of Shore at the time of Early Work and his current self scarcely look different. This consistency in his artistic vision is perhaps a testament to his early training and immersion in the art world and photography from a young age.
Shore feels tied to his parents but sensed a disconnection from them during his early years. When looking back at his photographs, he tries to think of himself as an observer of them, rather than a creator. This detachment allows him to appreciate the artistic value he ascribes to his early work.
In Early Work, Shore includes a pre-history of his photographs, which appears near the end of the book. He also includes a 1965 Warhol self-portrait, likely taken from a selfie-like angle, showing Warhol from the middle of banter.
Shore's memoir on the craft of photography, Modern Instances, indicates his inclination to think deeply about how photographs work and how a photographer can have a prodigious taste for influences. Early Work is a testament to this, as it showcases Shore's ability to render the world's surface at a degree to which it is slightly less familiar, yet beautifully captivating.
In 1964, at the age of 14, Shore had a one-man show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and his photographs were purchased by Edward Steichen for the Museum of Modern Art. This early recognition set the stage for Shore's successful career in photography, which continues to this day.
