ELLIOTT ERIWTT

1928 - 2023, b. Paris, France

Elliott Erwitt, USA, New York City, 1974

Elliott Erwitt, USA, New York City, 1974


Elliott Erwitt was born in France of émigré parents in 1928. His formative years were spent in Italy. At the age of 10 he moved with his family to France afterward and emigrating to the United States in 1939, settling in New York for two years then transferring to Los Angeles.

In the early 50's, Erwitt moved to New York City by way of Pittsburg, Germany and France (the last two locations courtesy of the United States Army). He settled in New York for good establishing his fundamental base of operations... although "settling" in Erwitt parlance means "where you are at the moment for as long as you don't go somewhere else". Flexibility and adaptation to the requirements of the profession and personal interests have kept him moving about the globe before returning to base.

While attending Hollywood High School Erwitt worked in a commercial darkroom processing "signed" prints for fans of movie stars. During 1949 he returned to Europe traveling and photography in Italy and France thus making the start of his professional career. Drafted in to the US Army in 1951 he continued taking photographs for various publications totally apart from his military duties while stationed in New Jersey, Germany and France.

By good fortune while looking for work on exploratory trips to New York City prior to his military service, he met Edward Steichen, Robert Capa and Roy Stryker who liked his photographs and took a personal guiding interest becoming significant mentors.

In 1953 freshly decommissioned from military service, Elliott Erwitt was  invited to join Magnum Photos as a member by its founder Robert Capa. In 1968 he became President of the prestigious agency for 3 terms. To date he continues to be an active member and one of the leading figures in the competitive field of photography.

Erwitt's books, journalistic essays, illustrations, and advertisements have been featured in publications around the world for over forty years. While continuing his work as a stills photographer Erwitt began making films in the 70's. His documentaries include Beauty Knowns No Pain (1971), Red White and Blue Grass (1973) sponsored with a grant from the American Film Institute and The Glass Makers of Herat (1977).

In the 80's Erwitt produced seventeen comedy and satire programs for Home Box Office. From the 90's to the present he continues to lead a remarkably varied professional life encompassing many disparate aspects of photography. While actively working for magazine, industrial and advertising clients Erwitt devotes all his spare time toward creating books and exhibitions of his work destined for galleries and museums.



PUBLICATIONS

Eastern Europe (1965)

Photographs and Anti-Photographs (1972)

Observations on American Architecture (1972)

Elliott Erwitt: The Private Experience (1974)

Son of Bitch (1974)

Recent Developments (1978)

The Angel Tree (1984)

Personal Exposures (1988)

On the Beach (1991)

To the Dogs (1992)

Between the Sexes (1994)

Dogs, Dogs (1998)

Personal Exposures (1998)

SNAPS (2001)

60/60 (2002)

Elliott Erwitt’s Handbook (2003)

You & Me Spring (2004)

Personal Best (2006)

UNSEEN (2007)

Elliott Erwitt’s New York (2008)

Elliott Erwitt's Rome (3009)

Elliott Erwit's Kolor (2013

Regarding Women (2014)

Personal Best (2014)

Elliott Erwitt's Paris (2017)

Elliott Erwitt's New York (2017)

CUBA (2017)

Pittsburgh 1950 (2017)

Elliott Erwitt's Scotland (2018)



SELECTED COLLECTIONS

  • Museum of Modern Art, New York

  • Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

  • Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

  • Museum of Modern Art, Paris

  • Kunsthaus, Zurich

  • Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid

  • Barbican, London

  • Royal Photographic Society, Bath

  • Museum of Art of New South Wales, Sydney

  • Spazio Overdan, Milan

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

  • High Museum of Art, Atlante

  • Harry Ransom Center, Austin

  • Bibliothéque Nationale, Paris

  • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

  • New Orleans Museum of Art, LA

  • Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago

  • Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit

  • Nashaer Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham

  • Kemper Art Museum, St. Louis

  • Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Tokyo

  • Museum of Fine Ars, Boston

  • Palmer Museum of Art, University Park

  • Tate Museum, London

  • International Center for Photography, New York

  • F11 Photographic Museum, Hong Kong