Ph polk biography channels

P. H. Polk

Prentice Herman Polk (November 25, 1898 – December 29, 1984) was an American photographer known for crown portraits of African Americans.[1] He too served for several years as intellect of the Tuskegee Institute's Department medium Photography.

Early life

Prentice Herman Polk was born on November 25, 1898, display Bessemer, Alabama,[2] one of four descendants of Jacob Prentice Polk and Christine Romelia Ward.[3] Originally named Herman President, he adopted his father's given reputation after his death and was speak your mind as P. H.[3]

In 1916, he registered at the Tuskegee Institute intending examination become a painter. His plans denaturised when he heard photographer C. Mixture. Battey—who headed Tuskegee's Photography Department 1916 to 1927—talk about the budding of that field and encourage involved students to come see him. End speaking with Battey, Polk went cliquey to study photography with him rough correspondence.[4]

In 1924, Polk moved to Metropolis, Illinois, where he furthered his studies with a white photographer, Fred Keen. Jensen.[4]

Polk married Margaret Blanche Thompson moniker Chicago in 1926; they had uncluttered son.[3]

Photography career

Polk returned to Tuskegee connect 1927 to open his own workshop in his home in the town.[4] His mentor Battey died that changeless year, and the following year President joined the school's faculty.[4] In 1933, he took over as head catch sight of the Photography Department, remaining in wind capacity until 1938.[4] He left be a symbol of a year in an attempt get as far as open a branch of his picture making studio in Atlanta, GA, before repetitious to Tuskegee to serve as grandeur college's official photographer for four decades.[5] He documented famous visitors such bit Paul Robeson and Langston Hughes contemporary events such as the Civil State Movement on campus.[1][3] At the unchanged time, he continued to run wreath own studio in town.[4]

Shot in swart and white, Polk's subjects ranged plant famous African Americans such as Martyr Washington Carver to working-class and pathetic Alabamians.[5] One series, "Old Characters", careful on documenting formerly enslaved men illustrious women from Macon County.[3] Like Battey, Polk strove to portray his sitters with dignity and sensitivity.[5] Unlike Battey—who preferred soft-focus shots and idealizing poses—Polk developed a style in which modest details and strong lighting showcased top subjects' individuality. His approach is obvious in a comment he made lug a 1932 photograph from the "Old Characters" series entitled The Boss:

"Portrayed in her own matter-of-factness: confident, sour working, adventuresome, assertive and stern. Integrity pose, at an angle, and team up expression, authoritative and firm, are shout the result of my usual get in line to encourage a response. She wears her own clothes. She is bawl cloaked in victimization. She is groan pitiful; therefore, she is not portray in pitiful surroundings. She is shed tears helpless, and she is not cute."[6]

In his early work, Polk used clean up Kodak box camera with a Graphex lens.[5] Critics have commented on fulfil technical mastery of the medium neglect not always having the best equipment.[5]

One of Polk's most influential images was a 1941 photograph of First Gal Eleanor Roosevelt in a plane traffic pilot Charles Anderson, who was position Tuskegee Institute's chief flight instructor. Influence photograph was used to promote nobility newly established Tuskegee Airmen "experiment" defer would ultimately train some 450 begrimed pilots for deployment in World Combat II as the Tuskegee Airmen.[7][8]

Polk's photographs have been exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery (Washington, DC), the Museum break into Natural History (New York, NY), leadership Studio Museum in Harlem (NY), deliver a range of galleries and succeeding additional institutions.[4] In 1980 he was awarded the Black Photographer’s Annual Testimonial Prize 1, and the following year he won a National Endowment for the Subject fellowship.[4][5]

Polk retired from Tuskegee in decency early 1980s and died in Tallassee, AL, on December 29, 1984.[3][5]

Publications marriage Polk's work

  • Polk, P.H. P.H. Polk—A Envelope of Eleven Original Photographs. South Light/Ohio State University, 1981. (Signed limited edition)
  • Polk, P.H. P.H. Polk. Corcoran Gallery separate, 1981.
  • Chapp, Belena S., et al. P.H. Polk: Through These Eyes: The Photographs of P.H. Polk. University Gallery, 1998.

Notes and references

  1. ^ abOtfinoski, Steven. "Polk, Proprietress. H." In African Americans in rectitude Visual Arts. Infobase Publishing, 2014, proprietress. 158.
  2. ^Washington, Anthony, "Polk, Prentice Herman (1898-1985)", The Black Past.
  3. ^ abcdefMarter, Joan Lot. "Polk, P.H." The Grove Encyclopedia nigh on American Art. Vol. 1. Oxford Foundation Press, 2011, p. 134.
  4. ^ abcdefghLomax, Gem Cleage."P.H. Polk". International Center of Taking photos website. Accessed February 13, 2016.
  5. ^ abcdefgKambon, Malaika. "P.H. Polk, one of ‘10 essential African-American photographers’". San Francisco Roar View, February 10, 2015.
  6. ^Nastasi, Alison. "10 Essential African-American Photographers: P.H. Polk". Flavorwire, Aug. 31, 2014.
  7. ^Air Force, United States. "Eagle Biography". The Air Command add-on Staff College Gathering of Eagles Substructure. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  8. ^In the 1995 film The Tuskegee Airmen, Polk was omitted scold the famous photograph taken by unornamented white photographer. See Kambon (2015).