Images from the Chester Kessler Dance Photography Collection

Dublin Core

Description

This collection contains a sample of images from Chester Kessler's body of work consisting of photographs of important local dancers and dance companies, The photographic materials feature such notables as George Balanchine, Ruth Beckford, Carlos Carvajal, Lew Christensen, Anna Halprin, and Welland Lathrop.

Creator

Chester Monroe Kessler was born in New Melle, Missouri, on May 6, 1919. He was raised in Missouri and went to high school in St. Louis. After World War II, Kessler moved to Los Angeles. He studied photography at the Art Center School in Los Angeles and animation and film making at the University of Southern California. After moving to San Francisco, Kessler studied with Minor White, Bill Grant Jr., and Oliver Gagliani.

Kessler had three one-man shows at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. His work was also exhibited at U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Davis, The University of Indiana, The Oakland Museum, Gottham Bookmart Gallery in New York City, Light Sound Dimension in San Francisco, and the Focus Gallery in San Francisco.

Kessler's photography is represented in the Theatre Arts Collection of the New York Public Library, in the Erotica Collection of the Kinsly Institute, and in numerous private collections.

Chester Kessler died in San Francisco on May 6, 1979.

Date

1949-1974

Identifier

ACC 981.041

Subject

Beckford, Ruth

Carvajal, Carlos

Christensen, Lew, 1909-1984

Halprin, Anna

Lathrop, Welland

Source

Chester Kessler Dance Photography Collection

Rights

Literary, property, and publication rights have been assigned to the Museum of Performance + Design. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Type

Still Image

Collection Items

Gail Visentin, Ron Poindexter, and another dancer in Christensen's Lady of Shalott, circa 1960s

Gail Visentin, Ron Poindexter, and a San Francisco Ballet dancer in a performance of Lew Christensen's Lady of Shalott, circa 1960s

A dancer in Christensen's Caprice, 1961

A San Francisco Ballet dancer in a performance of Lew Christensen's Caprice, 1961