Week 39 - 2019
Edward Sheriff Curtis, The Vanishing Race, 1904. Belongs to the Preus Museum collection.
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Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) made a lasting mark in the history of photography with his life's work The North American Indian which spanned over 20 volumes. From 1900 to 1930 Curtis travelled all over America, taking photos of over seventy of the American native tribes. The photographs documented the daily activities, the customs and the religions of the people he called «the disappearing race». To get images he wanted Curtis orchestrated the scenes and intentionally left out any trace of modern life. This resulted in a lot of criticism and it stripped Curtis of ever being recognised as an ethnographic photographer.
Curtis’ wish to preserve something susceptible to extinction, was not an idea taken out of thin air. American natives were exposed to harsh assimilation tactics from the official America. However, undeterred by the ban of religious rituals the traditional ceremonies and dances were secretly carried on to the next generation. This way the Native American people made sure to preserve their own culture themselves.
On Sunday you can delve deep into Cutis’ photos, in the exhibition subtitled «The Man, The Myth and the Legend».