Susan A. Barnett

When George Harrison arrived in New York for the Beatles’ historic visit he was carrying a Pentax Spotmatic as he descended the airplanes steps. I was then 15 years old and soon I bought the same Pentax and began to photograph my everyday life such as it appeared to me. I later was lucky enough to have been given my Fathers 40 year old Leicaflex SL2 which I use to this day.

After an internship at the Cloisters the Medieval branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art I was lucky enough to get a job at the Perls Galleries on Madison Avenue which specialized in the School of Paris, the Fauves and made Alexander Calder a household word. I worked there I worked for twelve years as Associate Director. I continue my association with Calder and the Perls to this day. Next door to Perls Galleries was Light Gallery, one of the earliest galleries to show Contemporary Photography; there I experienced firsthand the work of Steven Shore, Aaron Siskind and Lee Friedlander. The art world of the 70’s in New York gave me the opportunity to explore the art of the moment but because of the proximity of all the Museums and galleries and auction houses. I was able to give myself an education in visual thinking while handling the work of the Masters. I continued to photograph and eventually began to use my camera full time once again.

I have had solo exhibitions at the The Griffin Museum of Photography, Center for Fine Art Photography, DeSantos Gallery and in October at the Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography.

“Not In Your Face” has won awards recently from PhotoLucida Critical Mass Top 50 and the PDN Annual 2013.

Images are available at Clampart, New York.