Edward and Brett at the Amon Carter

David Brown · Mar 15, 2015

Michael Castles (photomc) and I visited the Edward and Brett Weston exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth. It is a small show 23 prints. I didnt count to see who had 11 and who had 12. They each had two walls of the gallery.

There were familiar works: Bretts Garrapata Beach and Edwards nude on the sand, as well as images neither of us had seen before. A Pepper #10 (not the famous #30) and a later print (1960s) of Bretts that looked very much like the Pepper #10.

We visited at the museums opening on a Saturday morning, and had the gallery to ourselves. I think we got lucky in that regard. The show is up through August 23rd, and Im sure that I will visit several more times. Cant see this work too much.

http://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/like-father-like-son-edward-and-brett-weston

snapguy · Mar 15, 2015

vandals

Personally, I boycott people -- living or dead -- who purposely burn, deface and/or destroy perfectly good negatives.

David Brown · Mar 15, 2015

snapguy said:
Personally, I boycott people -- living or dead -- who purposely burn, deface and/or destroy perfectly good negatives.

Then don't go see the show. That whole burning the negatives thing is mostly myth anyway. And even so, if one throws way something that they made or is theirs, that does not constitute vandalism. You're trolling again Snapguy! :confused:

Rick A · Mar 15, 2015

Last time I got to see any Weston prints was IIRC 1990 in NYC. A good friend and I went to see "Westons Westons" at ICP, a collection of Edwards prints chosen by Brett for display. Edward Weston remains, to this day, the photographer who influences me most.

David Brown · Mar 15, 2015

Rick A said:
... Edward Weston remains, to this day, the photographer who influences me most.

As does, perhaps, Brett, to me.

They were two different photographers to my eye. This show does, however, attempt to show more overlap and blend between the two. The prints are presented chronologically within each set. And the last - most recent - image by Brett has a resemblance to the first - and earliest - print of his father. I am sure that the curator chose them this way. The title of the exhibit is "Like Father, Like Son". There is no doubt that Brett was influenced by Edward, but he did blaze his own trail.

Last year I was the Four Generations show in California. I think that selection did more to contrast Edward, Brett, Kim and now Zach Weston and their separate work.

Dead Link Removed

gorbas · Mar 15, 2015

In her newest book GROUP F.64 Mary Street Alinder give very nice and valid reason why did Brett Weston destroyed his negatives. Beautiful book!

removedacct1 · Mar 15, 2015

gorbas said:
In her newest book GROUP F.64 Mary Street Alinder give very nice and valid reason why did Brett Weston destroyed his negatives. Beautiful book!

I just bought the book last night and already I'm engrossed!

Michael A. Smith · Mar 15, 2015

What most people do not realize is that Brett influenced his father as much as Edward influenced Brett. Brett was seriously photographing in 1927 when Edward began his Modernist period. Brett printed on glossy paper. When Edward saw the prints, he also switched to glossy paper. Brett photographed at Point Lobos and the Oceano Dunes before Edward and introduced Edward to both places. Some of this story is written in the Afterwords by Roger Aikin in our 19-volume Portfolios of Brett Weston book series. (www.lodima.org).

In 1973 Roger Aikin wrote an essay in the College Art Association Journal comparing the photographs of Edward and Brett. Shortly after, someone asked Beaumont Newhall if he had considered writing an essay comparing Edward and Brett's photographs. Beaumont unhappily replied that he was working on it, but stopped because it had already been done and he could not do it better. To date, it is the best writing ever about the difference in the way of seeing of Edward and Brett.

When Paula (Paula Chamlee, my wife and photographer in her own right) and I considered publishing the Brett Weston book series, I recalled Aikin's essay and thanks to the Internet, was able to find him. He graciously agreed to write about Brett, whom he knew well, for our series.

Michael A. Smith
www.michaelandpaula.com

ParkerSmithPhoto · Mar 15, 2015

Michael A. Smith said:
In 1973 Roger Aikin wrote an essay in the College Art Association Journal comparing the photographs of Edward and Brett.

A quick Google search brought up Dead Link Removed, but it is unfortunately behind a paywall. You can join and read it for a cool $125!

Michael A. Smith · Apr 2, 2015

If anyone would like to read the essay, for $5 I will copy it, scan it, and send it. I wish I could do it for free, but we have just printed seven new books, and with photographing, publishing, and our other activities in the world of photography (www.lodima.org) I don't have a spare minute).

Michael A. Smith

ParkerSmithPhoto · Apr 3, 2015

Michael A. Smith said:
If anyone would like to read the essay, for $5 I will copy it, scan it, and send it. I wish I could do it for free, but we have just printed seven new books, and with photographing, publishing, and our other activities in the world of photography (www.lodima.org) I don't have a spare minute).

Michael A. Smith

I was able to locate it at the Emory University online library, and one of my ever gracious neighbors printed it out as a PDF.

I'll try to post it when I get back to my desk.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Apr 3, 2015

ps. paper is at apug articles section.

Michael A. Smith · Apr 8, 2015

Glad to hear you are getting a copy, but I do not think you should post it as there are copyright issues. Getting a single copy is probably a violation, too, but such a small one that no one would bother prosecuting, but a posting?

I could copy it as I have permission from the copyright holder.

Michael A. Smith

Old-N-Feeble · Apr 8, 2015

I never much cared for Edward's works, as a whole. I much prefer Brett's offerings. It might just be a generational thing though.

ParkerSmithPhoto · Apr 9, 2015

Michael A. Smith said:
Glad to hear you are getting a copy, but I do not think you should post it as there are copyright issues. Getting a single copy is probably a violation, too, but such a small one that no one would bother prosecuting, but a posting?

I could copy it as I have permission from the copyright holder.

Michael A. Smith

Good point, it's an excellent overview of these two photographers, and well worth your time and/or money to locate. Thanks for the recommendation.

Edward and Brett at the Amon Carter

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