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1912. Born on October 22 in Detroit, Michigan. 1934-36. Attends Michigan State College, Lansing, where he majors in chemical engineering 1936. Goes to work for the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation. Marries Eleanor Knapp on November 25. 1940. Joins the Detroit Photo Guild. 1941. Attends a workshop by Ansel Adams at Detroit Photo Guide. 1942. Spends a week in New York during which he meets Alfred Steigliz at An American Place. 1943. Begins several photographic series: high-contrast studies of weeds in snow and timed exposures of sunlight on water, studies using long exposures time to photograph neon lights and multiple exposures to photograph street scenes. This last includes his two-year series of photographs of pedestrians. 1944. Works as a processor in the photolab of General Motors Corporation. 1945. Moves to New York. Meets a number of photographers and curators, including Berenice Abbott, Helen Levitt, Paul Strand, Lisette Model, Beaumont and Nanc Newhall, and Minor White. 1946. Returned to Detroit after unsuccessful application for photographic fellowship at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Moves to Chicago, where he is hired to teach at the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology. 1948. Six of his photographs are exhibited in In and out of Focus at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Begins lifelong friendships with Aaron Siskind and Edward Steichen. 1949. Appointed the head of the Department of Photography at the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology. 1950. Makes two 16mm films, Motions and People Walking on State Street. Daughter Barbara is born. 1951. Teaches a summer course at the Bauhaus-oriented Black Mountain College in North Carolina with Robert Motherwell, Ben Shahn, Arthur Siegal, Aaron Siskind, and Jonathan Williams. 1952. Begins series of portraits of wife, Eleanor and daughter, Barbara with 8-by-10 inch camera. 1956-58. Receives Graham Foundation Award for Advanced studies in Fine Arts, a $10,000 stipend, which he uses to take a leave of absence with his family in Aix-en-Provence, France from Autumn 1957 until July 1958. On his way back from France, he visits Spain and London. 1962. Resigns from the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology to assume position of Associate Professor and chairman of the Photography department at Rhode Island School of Design. 1963. Travels extensively throughout Mexico and Europe. 1964. Appointed full Professor at Rhode Island School of Design. First major monograph about him. 1966. Gives master class in photography under auspices of Letters and Science Extension at the University of California, Berkeley. 1968. Takes six-month sabbatical in Rome. 1972. Receives fellowship from John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Is awarded a citation for distinguished contributions as an artist, photographer, and educator at the annual board of directors meeting of the National Association of Schools, Rochester, New ork. 1976. Opening of major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. 1977. Begins to photograph exclusively in color; retires from Rhode Island School of Design. 1979. Receives honorary doctorate of fine arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design; elected Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Boston. 1981. Receives first Distinguished Career in Photography Award from the Friends of Photography, Carmel, California. 1982. Honored by Vice-President and Mrs. Walter Mondale in Washington, D.C., for contributing to Views of America, published to raise funds for Democratic candidates in 1982 elections. 1983. Moves to Atlanta, Georgia. 1985. Awarded 1985 Brandeis Creative Arts Medal. 1991. Receives the first Knight Purchase Award, Akron Art Museum. 1992. Receives award in recognition of outstanding achievement, Illinois Academy of fine Arts, Chicago. 1993. Awarded the 1993 Edward MacDowel Medal, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire. 1996. Awarded National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. Opening of major retrospective at National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. |