Jerry N Uelsmann, American (1934 - )
Jerry N. Uelsmann is an American photographer, born on
11th June 1934 in Michigan.
At the age of fourteen while attending a public school, he developed a
curiosity for photography. He assumed that photography will allow him to live a
world seen through the camera lens. Although his grades were poor, he still
found some jobs and that too related to photographing models. Later on, he
received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Rochester Institute of
Technology and masters degree from Indiana University.
In 1960, he started to teach photography to students at University of Florida.
His first solo show took place at Museum of Modern Art.
Uelsmann produces amalgamated photographs along with several
negatives as well as extensive work in the darkroom. His negatives recur in his
work as either a background or focal point. Just likeO.G. Rejlander, it is felt
by Uelsmann that the final image can be composed of more than one negative.
Uelsmann, in the twentieth century didn’t care about anything but to represent
his imagination to his viewers and felt that photomontage was a channel to
disseminate his thoughts and ideas in a better way.
Today, photographers can create the same effect as Uelsmann did
in a few hours using softwares and a digital camera. However, at that time, he
was noted for his miraculous skills of using analog techniques to create
something unbelievable. Jerry NUelsmann’s modern mindset helped to expand the
boundaries of art in photography. Although a range of digital tools are
available, Uelsmann feels that his traditional approach towards photography is
intrinsically connected to the darkroom alchemy.
His photos are shown in the opening credits of The Outer
Limits, 1995 TV series and in the illustrated version of Salem’s
Lot by Stephen King. Additionally,
his work is seen in Train of Thought, a 2003 album by Dream
Theater.
His pictures don’t depict any specific place, in fact they make
the viewer capable of seeing multiple frames and transcend into a journey
through the deepness of his artworks. They play with big and vague ideas, so
much so that Uelsmann’s work does not leave any space for accurate
interpretation. The artist feels that he touches his spectators personally by
creating something unimaginable, surreal and abstract at the same time.
His work is usually in monochrome with a range of mid-tones and
gray complements. Uelsmann contrasts artificial with organic and usually uses
several focal points.