Paul Strand

Born: in New York City on 16th October, 1890.

Died: on 31st March, 1976.
Basic background:
Stran was !i"en his #irst ca$era by his #ather when he was twe%"e years o%. &wo
years %ater he 'oine the (thica% C)%t)re Schoo% where he was ta)!ht by *ewis +ine,
who at that ti$e was in"o%"e in a ,ro'ect ,hoto!ra,hin! i$$i!rants arri"in! at (%%is
-s%an. Stran 'oine +ine.s e/tra0c)rric)%ar co)rse in ,hoto!ra,hy. +ine a%so took
Stran to the 1hoto0Secession 2a%%ery at 391 4i#th 5"en)e an intro)ce hi$ to the
work o# 5%#re Stie!%it6, 7a"i Octa"i)s +i%%, 8)%ia Mar!aret Ca$eron, 2ertr)e
9asebier an C%arence :hite.
7)rin! the 4irst :or% :ar Stran was a $e$ber o# the 5r$y Meica% Cor,s. 5#ter
the war, Stran co%%aborate with Char%es Schee%er on the oc)$entary #i%$,
Mannahatta ;193<=. Stran contin)e with his work as a $otion ,ict)re ca$era$an
when he worke on the #i%$ &he :a"e ;1933=.
:ith the onset o# the 7e,ression Stran beca$e acti"e in ,o%itics. 5 co$$itte
socia%ist, he worke with he 2ro), &heatre that ha been #or$e in New York by
+aro% C%)r$an, Chery% Craw#or an *ee Strasber! in 1931. &he 2ro), was a
,ioneerin! atte$,t to create a theatre co%%ecti"e, a co$,any o# ,%ayers traine in a
)ni#ie sty%e an eicate to ,resentin! conte$,orary ,%ays. Me$bers o# the !ro),
tene to ho% %e#t0win! ,o%itica% "iews an wante to ,ro)ce ,%ays that ea%t with
i$,ortant socia% iss)es.
-n 1933 Stran was aske by the Me/ican !o"ern$ent to r)n the e,art$ent o# #i%$
an ,hoto!ra,hy at the M)se)$ o# 4ine 5rts. -n 193< Stran "isite the So"iet >nion
with +aro% C%)r$an an Chery% Craw#or where he $et the raica% #i%$ irector,
Ser!i (isenstein. :hen Stran ret)rne to the >nite States he be!an to ,ro)ce
socia%%y si!ni#icant oc)$entary #i%$s. &his inc%)e &he 1%ow that ?roke the 1%ains
;1936=, his #i%$ on trae )nions in the 7ee, So)th, 1eo,%e o# the C)$ber%ans ;1937=
an Nati"e *an ;19@3=.
-n 1936 Stran 'oine with ?erenice 5bbot to estab%ish the 1hoto *ea!)e in New
York. in 1936. -ts initia% ,)r,ose was to ,ro"ie the raica% ,ress with ,hoto!ra,hs o#
trae )nion acti"ities an ,o%itica% ,rotests. *ater the !ro), ecie to or!ani6e %oca%
,ro'ects where $e$bers concentrate on ,hoto!ra,hin! workin! c%ass co$$)nities.
&he M)se)$ o# Moern 5rt in New York he% a #)%%0sca%e retros,ecti"e o# Stran.s
work in 19@<. &he 1hoto *ea!)e, %ike $any raica% or!ani6ations, was in"esti!ate
by the +o)se o# >n05$erican 5cti"ities Co$$ittee )rin! the %ate 19@0s. &his %e to
$e$bers bein! b%ack%iste an Stran ecie to %ea"e the >nite States an %i"e in
4rance.
Stran ,)b%ishe a series o# books inc%)in! &i$e in New (n!%an ;19<0=, 4rance in
1ro#i%e ;19<3=, >n 1aese ;19<@=, Me/ican 1ort#o%io ;1967=, O)ter +ebries ;1968=
an 2hana: 5n 5#rican 1ortrait ;1976=.