Artworks

HARRY CALLAHAN (American, 1912 - 1999)

Though Harry Callahan began his photography career as a hobbyist, his earnest and experimental approach to documentary photography earned him international recognition. He is best known for his experimental approach to documentary photographs of American landscapes, cityscapes, and people. 

Harry Callahan was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1912. He spent the majority of his early adult life studying Engineering at Michigan State University and working at Chrysler, before taking up photography as a hobby in 1938. Callahan quickly discovered a passion for the practice and found work at General Motors Photographic Laboratories. It was there that Callahan met László Moholy-Nagy, and was asked to join the faculty of New Bauhaus (known today as the Institute of Design) in Chicago. From there, Callahan earned significant respect as a photographer and artistic educator throughout the world. He was honored with several awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972, and was the first American photographer featured in the Venice Biennale. Today, Callahan’s work can be found in The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and more.