Artist and educator Aaron Siskind (1903-1991)holds a preeminent place in the history of American photography. He was the only photographic member of the American Abstract-Expressionist movement, drawing inspiration and inspiring notable modern painters such as Willem DeKooning Barnett Newman and Franz Kline. During the 1930s, Siskind was interested in documenting the pressing social conditions of his time. It was not until after an exploration of the external world had been exhausted, that he began using the outside world as a means of internal self-exploration –harnessing the associative powers of his vernacular objects. Siskind focused on the formal relationship between light, structure and texture, exploring ideas of decay and regeneration. His practice was an overtly straightforward technique of isolating and enlarging everyday subject matter, creating conceptual metaphors with new purpose and meaning. The artist ultimately radicalized the medium by pinpointing photography’s potential as an abstract form of expression and an aesthetic end in itself.
Aaron Siskind was born in New York in 1903. He taught high school English for over two decades before began his photography career as a documentarian in the New York Photo League. In 1951, Siskind went on to teach at the Institute of Design in Chicago and later on the Rhode Island School of Design. He was also involved in the founding of the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester with Nathan Lyons. He died in Providence in 1991 at the age of 87. The artist received many distinguished awards including a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, a Gold Star Merit Award from Philadelphia College of Art, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and Rhode Island’s Governer Prize for the Arts. Bruce Silverstein has organized three major shows of his work since 2001, and is the exclusive representative of the Aaron Siskind Foundation, which maintains Siskind’s legacy by providing annual grants encouraging and celebrating artistic achievement in contemporary photography.
Between 1947 and 1951, Siskind exhibited regularly at the prestigious Charles Egan Gallery alongside many well-known painters of the period. Numerous posthumous exhibitions have been organized worldwide. Such institutions are amongst others, the Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.; Cleveland Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Whitney Museum of Art, New York; and the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson.
Work by Aaron Siskind is held in museum collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago; Center for Creative Photography, Tucson; Getty Center, Los Angeles; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego; National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
Siskind published several important books and catalogues, and seven major monographs such as Places: Aaron Siskind Photographs (1976), Harlem Document, Photographs 1932-1940: Aaron Siskind (1981), Aaron Siskind: Pleasures and Terrors (1982), and Song of The Open Road (1990).
-
EXHIBITION REVIEW: REWIND: 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Emily Capone, Musée: Vanguard of Photography Culture, January 10, 2022 -
AARON SISKIND FOUNDATION TRANSFERS 8,000-WORK COLLECTION TO VIRGINIA'S MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Artforum, January 20, 2020 -
THE BARNETT AND ANNALEE NEWMAN FOUNDATION GIVES ART AND $10 MILLION TO THE JEWISH MUSEUM
Broadway World, June 12, 2018 -
SHAPE OF LIGHT: 100 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND ABSTRACT ART
Tate, April 30, 2018 -
AARON SISKIND: LEAP BEFORE YOU LOOK: BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE 1933–1957
Richard Deming, Artforum, March 1, 2017 -
BARBARA MORGAN, AARON SISKIND, FREDERICK SOMMER
Royal Academy, September 24, 2016 -
AARON SISKIND AT THE DAVIS MUSEUM OF ART
The Davis Museum of Art, September 15, 2016 -
REVIEW BY L'OEIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE Songs and the Sky
The Eye of Photography, May 30, 2016 -
AARON SISKIND, FREDERICK SOMMER, AND KEITH SMITH AT MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
The Morgan Library, March 25, 2016 -
AARON SISKIND: ABSTRACTIONS
Art Institute of Chicago , March 16, 2016 -
NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF ART: AARON SISKIND & LISETTE MODEL
NYU Tisch, July 31, 2015 -
AARON SISKIND AT PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
Philadelphia Museum of Art, June 17, 2015 -
AARON SISKIND AT PAVILION POPULAIRE
Montpellier, November 28, 2014 -
ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ AND AARON SISKIND AT THE NASHER MUSEUM OF ART
Nasher Museum, February 14, 2013 -
AARON SISKIND AT THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, January 12, 2013
-
Summer Glow
11 Jul - 7 Sep 2024In photography, light is the medium’s essence, shaping each photograph’s composition, mood, texture, and depth. During the long days of summer, light evolves from the soft, diffused glow of the...Read more -
20th Anniversary Exhibition
REWIND 16 Dec 2021 - 19 Feb 2022 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce REWIND, a celebration of our 20th anniversary. Featuring works selected from over one hundred exhibitions, REWIND is an opportunity to revisit the gallery's...Read more -
Drawing the Line
11 Jul - 30 Aug 2019 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce a group exhibition featuring works by Harry Callahan, Germaine Krull, Shinichi Maruyama, Barbara Morgan, Sigmar Polke, Man Ray, Aaron Siskind, Keith A. Smith,...Read more -
Monochrome
20 Jan - 4 Mar 2017 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present MONOCHROME, an exhibition including works by Alfred Leslie, Barbara Morgan, Louise Nevelson, Man Ray, Aaron Siskind, Frederick Sommer and John Wood.Read more -
Songs and the Sky
An Exhibition of Art and Music 28 Apr - 25 Jun 2016 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present Songs and the Sky, an exhibition of art and music.Read more -
Inscribed
10 Dec 2015 - 23 Jan 2016 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein / 20 is pleased to present Inscribed.Read more -
Remnants
Louise Nevelson and Aaron Siskind 19 Sep - 2 Nov 2013 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein is pleased to present, Remnants: Louise Nevelson & Aaron Siskind, an exhibition featuring sculptures by Nevelson and photographs by Siskind displayed in conversation. The exhibition focuses on...Read more -
DISCOVERIES
A special selection of extraordinary photographs from the gallery's private inventory 8 Jul - 6 Aug 2010 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce DISCOVERIES, an exhibition featuring an eclectic selection of rare and noteworthy works by 35 known and lesser-known artists from the 20 th century.Read more -
Discoveries
A special selection of extraordinary photographs from the gallery's private inventory 16 Jun - 8 Aug 2009 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce DISCOVERIES, an exhibition featuring an eclectic selection of rare and noteworthy works by lesser-known artists from the 20th century.Read more -
Aaron Siskind
Recurrence 15 Jan - 7 Mar 2009 Gallery ExhibitionsBruce Silverstein is pleased to announce Aaron Siskind: Recurrence, an exhibition of works exploring the initial development and further evolution of recurring forms, themes, and line-gestures appearing and reappearing throughout...Read more -
Aaron Siskind
Transformation 21 Jun - 31 Aug 2001 Gallery ExhibitionsThe Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce the exhibit Aaron Siskind: Transformation.Read more
-
PARIS PHOTO 2024
5 - 10 Nov 2024 -
AIPAD 2023
30 Mar - 2 Apr 2023 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2021
9 - 12 Sep 2021For The Armory Show 2021, Bruce Silverstein Gallery will present photographic and painted material focusing on New York from the 1960s to 1980s. The installation...Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2019
7 - 10 Nov 2019Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition that will include both iconic and lesser known photographs by some of the most important photographic...Read more -
AIPAD 2019
4 - 7 Apr 2019 -
PARIS PHOTO 2018
8 - 11 Nov 2018Recognized today as one of the most influential figures in modern photography, the Hungarian artist, designer and educator, György Kepes (1906-2001) was one of the...Read more -
FRIEZE MASTERS 2018
4 - 7 Oct 2018For Frieze Masters 2018, Bruce Silverstein Gallery would be pleased to present a selection of photographic masterpieces from the twentieth century created in the spirit...Read more -
AIPAD 2018
5 - 8 Apr 2018 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2018
8 Mar 2018 - 11 Mar 2019 -
FRIEZE MASTERS 2017
5 - 8 Oct 2017For Frieze Masters 2017, Bruce Silverstein proposes a curated exhibition featuring significant photographic works by Constantin Brancusi, Alfred Leslie, Rene Magritte, Man Ray, Henry Moore,...Read more -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2017
2 - 5 Mar 2017For The Armory Show 2017 Bruce Silverstein Gallery will present an exhibition of paintings and photographs by Alfred Leslie, Paul Outerbridge, Eric Fischl, Todd Hido,...Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2016
10 - 13 Nov 2016Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present at Paris Photo an exhibition inspired by one of the cornerstones of modern art, F. Holland Day’s seminal...Read more -
FRIEZE MASTERS 2016
6 - 9 Oct 2016 -
ART BASEL 2016
16 - 19 Jun 2016 -
AIPAD 2016
14 - 17 Apr 2016At the 2016 AIPAD Photography Show, Bruce Silverstein Gallery is proud to present Triumph of the Egg, featuring works of the same title by two...Read more -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2016
3 - 6 Mar 2016 -
PARIS PHOTO 2015
12 - 15 Nov 2015 -
AIPAD 2015
16 - 19 Apr 2015 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2015
5 - 8 Mar 2015For the Armory Show 2015 Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition with a theme and focus encapsulated by the title, 'Low Culture'. Spanning multiple decades,...Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2014
13 - 16 Nov 2014 -
Frieze Masters 2014
15 - 19 Oct 2014For Frieze Masters 2014 Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes a solo exhibition of the work of Keith Smith, an American artist active in the 1960s-80s. This...Read more -
FRIEZE MASTERS 2015
14 Oct 2014 - 18 Oct 2015The gallery is pleased to present a selection of modern photographic masterpieces at Frieze Masters in London from October 14 to 18, 2015. Artists include...Read more -
ART BASEL 2014
17 - 22 Jun 2014For Art Basel 45 Bruce Silverstein Gallery would be pleased to present an exhibition featuring rare, vintage prints by André Kertész created during his years...Read more -
AIPAD 2014
10 - 13 Apr 2014 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2014
6 - 9 Mar 2014For The Armory Show 2014 Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition featuring the work of the artist Shinichi Maruyama. Over the past decade, Maruyama’s work...Read more -
ART BASEL MIAMI 2013
5 Dec 2013 - 8 Dec 2015For Art Basel Miami Beach, Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition of rare vintage prints from the Equivalents series 1925-34, created by the artist and...Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2013
14 - 17 Nov 2013 -
FRIEZE MASTERS LONDON 2013
17 - 20 Oct 2013For Frieze Masters 2013 Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition of works by Aaron Siskind. Photographer and educator Aaron Siskind holds a preeminent place in...Read more -
ART BASEL 2013
13 - 16 Jun 2013For Art Basel 44 Bruce Silverstein Gallery would be pleased to present an exhibition of masterworks from the photographic medium. We will be featuring historically...Read more -
AIPAD 2013
4 - 7 Apr 2013 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2013
7 - 10 Mar 2013 -
ART BASEL MIAMI 2012
6 - 9 Dec 2012For Art Basel Miami Beach, Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition of Constantin Brancusi’s photographs—rare vintage prints by the artist from the 1920s and 30s....Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2012
15 - 18 Nov 2012 -
FRIEZE MASTERS 2012
11 - 14 Oct 2012For Frieze Masters 2012, Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition of photographic works by the renowned artists Constantin Brancusi, André Kertész and Aaron Siskind that...Read more -
AIPAD 2012
29 Mar - 1 Apr 2012 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2012
8 - 11 Mar 2012 -
ART BASEL MIAMI 2011
1 - 4 Dec 2011For Art Basel Miami Beach, Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition exploring the notion of form as subject. We will display works by André Kertész,...Read more -
PARIS PHOTO 2011
10 - 13 Nov 2011For Paris Photo 2011, Bruce Silverstein Gallery proposes an exhibition exploring the notion of form as subject. We will display works by André Kertész, Edward...Read more -
ART BASEL 2011
15 - 19 Jun 2011For Art Basel 42, Bruce Silverstein Gallery would be pleased to present an exhibition of photographic works by the world famous sculptor Constantin Brancusi. The...Read more -
AIPAD 2011
17 - 20 Mar 2011 -
THE ARMORY SHOW 2011
2 - 6 Mar 2011