Photographers' Gallery Trip

Roman Vishniac Rediscovered

He is A Russian Born American best known for reproduced photographic records of Jewish life in Eastern Europe between the two World Wards. He won international acclaim for his Jewish ghettos, celebrity portraits and microscopic biology.

between 1935-1939 he was commissioned to take picture of poor Jewish cities in Eastern Europe by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. To do this he posed a salesman, bribed anyone who made it diffecult for him. Police would stop him from taking pictures and many times he was assumed to be a spy.

His in intention for the photographics were not just to perserve the history but to also raise awareness for the issues at the time.

It has been questioned regarding the authenticity of his photographers. In New York Times Magazine, an interview with Maya Burton the curator of the exhibition at the gallaery noticed the he only relaised a select view of his photographics with many cropped and inccorectly capitons.

But maybe one should not look at his work a historical reproduction of accrucy but to think about what in mainstrems society wouldbe ignored and left in the shodows.