We are at Stonewall 50: a stand-in for the memory of a long and never-ending struggle to expand human freedom:
the reach of our love,
of our recognition, even re-cognition, our mutual responsibilities, care, memory, gratitude. The manner of our prayer.
The manifold possibilities of human futures.
David Lebe, American born 1948, is a photographer.
Some photos from an exhibition at the Philadelphia Art Museum – Long Light – in 2019.
The artist’s low-tech techniques have included pinhole pictures (camera but no lens, cameras with multiple apertures allowing the capture of sequential scenes)
photograms (using no camera)
light drawings (using a camera with long exposures in which the artist moves a hand-held light)
painting prints with watercolour
and, recently, digital photography.
The artist was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988. He began to focus on the disease in a wide way. The result is six series of photographs.
One of these is Jack’s Garden. Another is Morning Ritual.
Both are for love of his lover, Jack Potter, a horticulturalist who almost died of AIDS in 1996. Both continue to live and work.
Morning Ritual #98, 1994 negative, 1996 print; gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Museum of Art
These are photos of photos and there are inevitably shadows, reflections from those within the galleries, and light distortions.
Unphotograph 7: Self-Portrait in Toaster, January 4, 1975 negative, around 1975 print; hand-coloured gelatin print. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Unphotograph One – Edith, February 10th, 1974; 1974 negative, c. 1975 print; hand-coloured gelatin print. Philadelphia Art Musem.
The Philadelphia artist Edith Neff, 1943-1995, American, in front of a painting she was preparing in her studio.
Susan on Shelf, 1974 negatives, 1975 prints and objects; hand-coloured gelatin silver prints, Plexiglas, painted wood. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Hazy Day Beach; Beach Haven, 1975 colour transparency, and detail, 2016 print. David Lebe , Philadelphia Art Museum
Garden Series #3, 1975, hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Specimen 16, 1979, photogram Photo from the net.
Barry in Rocker, 1979, gelatin silver print and detail. Philadelphia Art Museum
Barry Kohn, 1943-87, Philadelphia lawyer and activist, friend and lover of the artist and among the first of his circle to die of AIDS
Self-portrait, 1981 negative, 1985 print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Boy Dream, 1981 negative, 1989 print; gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Specimen # 18, 1980; hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Provincetown, 1980 negative, 1983 print; gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Specimen (unnumbered), 1981, gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Tulips Outlined in Red Light (Sketch), 1982 negative, 1985 print; hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Self-Portrait with Orchid, 1982, hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Roots, 1982 negative, 1985 print; hand-coloured gelatin print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Seth, 1985 negative, 1986 print; hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
In Fact We Laugh with the Idea of Death, 1986, gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Detail of In Fact We Laugh at the Idea of Death #3, 1986 negative, 1987 print; hand-coloured gelatin silver print. Image from the web. Philadelphia Art Museum
Food for Thought: Organic Squash with Hands, 1992 negative, 1994 print, gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
Scott, 1995 negative, 1997 print, gelatin silver print. Philadelphia Art Museum
