Jerry Uselmann Essay, Research Paper

Jerry Uelsmann was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 11, 1934. He began his studies at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He continued on to Indiana University in 1960 and received his Master?s degree. Uelsmann?s first job was at the University of Florida in Gainesville teaching photography and in 1974 he became the graduate research professor of art at UF. He continues to work at the University while perfecting his metamorphosis ideas in photography.

Jerry Uelsmann?s photography has been an ongoing controversy between reality and superficial. Critics say that he has altered the language, the substance, and the direction of art. Critics also believe that a photograph is to have meaning and to look at Uelsmann?s photographs they seem to have no meaning or several meanings all combined into one. Uelsmann tends to let his own imagination and love for the art show through his photographs. Consequently, Uelsmann has won many awards including the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1967 and the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1972. Furthermore, he is part of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, one of the founding members of the American Society for Photographic Education, and a board member of the Friends of Photography. Although Uelsmann has been highly criticized his work of art seems to capture the imagination and inspiration of many devoted followers.

In addition to his numerous awards and achievements Uelsmann?s work has been exhibited in more than 100 individual shows across the globe. He has managed to have his photographs appear as a permanent collection in various museums worldwide. He has an abundant amount of books displaying his work of art. His books increasingly capture his audience into their own realm of a superficial cradle of humanity. Jerry Uelsmann has managed to brake and surpass the barriers of traditional photography.

Jerry Uelsmann is developing a new style of photography all together. His photographs and talent never cease to amaze me. The most interesting part of Uelsmann?s photography is that the images are mostly produced in the darkroom. Uelsmann?s landscape photographs do not necessarily document the reality but it is literally perceived approach that he tries to show us. His reconstruction of images always makes you take a second look. Uelsmann?s photographs remind me of the painter Salvador Dali because the pictures are so mysterious yet so real.