Duane Michals
(b. 1932, McKeesport, PA)
Duane Michals, an American photographer renowned for his distinctive style, crafts compelling narratives through sequences of images. Employing a blend of visuals and text reminiscent of cinematic storytelling, his signature technique is exemplified in works such as “Things are Queer” (1972), comprising a series of nine photographs.
Michals once remarked, “I use photography to help me explain my experience to myself. I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see.” Michals pursued his passion, earning a BA from the University of Denver in 1953, before embarking on a career as a photojournalist.
Michals’ significant contributions to the field of photography have been acknowledged through various accolades, including a CAPS Grant in 1975, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1976, the International Center of Photography Infinity Award for Art in 1989, the Foto España International Award in 2001, and an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts in 2005.
Throughout the past five decades, Duane Michals’ artistic journey has seen exhibitions both in the United States and internationally. His solo showcase took place at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in 1970. In 2008, marking his 50th anniversary as a photographer, Michals was honored with retrospective exhibitions at the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography in Greece and the Scavi Scaligeri in Verona, Italy.
