Jerome Liebling MN Collections

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w i th t h e i n ju r e d a n d t h e i n f i r m w i th o u t g o in g t h r o u g ha H i t l e r ? . . . 1 w a s t ry i n g t o d e a l w i t h t h e h u m a np r o b l e m o f t h i s i n ju r y w i th o u t b e in g a c c u s a to r y . " '

The s tockya rds in South S t . Pau l were the nuc leus ofa n o th e r o f L i e b l i n g ' s "u n a s s ig n e d " p r o j e c t s . H e d e s c r i b e d t h e " t r e me n d o u s s k i l l o f t h e me n w h o w e r ew o r k i n g a n d w h a t t h e y ha d to do . The v isce ra l , t ac t i le ,s e n s u a l , v i s u a l ma t e r i a l t h a t w a s t h e r e , b o th t h e a n i m a l s , t h e b lo o d , t h e l i q u id , t h e p u l s a t i o n , t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l mo m e n t s . Y ou r e c o g n i z e d t h a t y o u w e r e s u r rounded by l i f e tha t was jus t leav ing you a s youw a tc h e d it . . . . I w a s a f f ec t e d b y w h a t w a s g o in g o n ,and so we re [ the wor ke r s ] becau se they could be in

j u r e d , t h e y w e r e i n ju r e d . T h e i r l i fe w a s d e e p ly a f fe cand t ied to th is k i l l ing .""

Li eb l ing dea l t wi t h o th e r in jur ie s in a se r ie s o f pto s o n M in n e a p o l i s ' s s k id r o w . H e s a id t h a t h i s g e n ec o m m e n t t h r o u g h t h e m e d i u m o f f il m w a s t h a t " A mica is no t th e rosy f low. I me an th e go ld i s no t on s t r e e t s , i t 's a h a r d l if e f o r a g r e a t ma n y p e o p l e . . .was no t p repa red for the leve l , I mean the soc ie ty . .T h e p e o p l e [ o n s k id r o w ] w e r e s o a n o n y mo u s I r ecouldn ' t ge t c lose .""

In terview s, Jun e 12, 1986, p. 7, Mav 27, 1987, p. 15" Interview, Mav 27, 1987, p. 5, 6.' Interview, Ma\' 27, 1987, p. 17, 18.302


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President Kennedy, 1962

Opposite: DFL rally, St. Paul, 1958

Jerome Liebling worked in Minnesota during a period of creative ferment in the arts , and he contrib utedsubstantially to that milieu. The photography programat the University of Minnesota became firmly established in the art curriculum, and a number of the artist's students have achieved success in the field. Liebling's own work was exhibited in one-man shows at theWalker Art Center in 1950 and 1963, at the UniversityGallery in 1952, and in less formal places such as the

" Light oj Our Past, 1947-74: Minnesota PhotographicHeritage ([Minneapolis]: Film in the Cities, 1983), 4, 6.

West Bank Gallery. His photographs illustrated A Century of Minnesota Architecture (1958) and The Face ofMinneapolis (1966). After two decades in Minnesota,Liebling moved back east, teaching at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts . For 20 years he hadbeen "the major force and influence on the photography program at the University." As one authority said,"Jerry had a hidde n m essage in all of his teach ing . Th atisif you're going to make pictures it needs to be ofsubject m atter that makes some kind of difference. It isan occasion to engage your values tangibly." The Minnesota Historical Society's collection now contains 30Liebling photographs; they speak for themselves.*

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Green Giant worker, Le Sueur

Migrant, Green Giant, Le Sueur, 1953

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Faribault, 1965

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House oj Charity,Minneapolis, 1959

Skid Roiv, Minneapolis, 1959Salvation Army Shelter

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Skid Row, 1959

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Pig sticker. SouthSt. Paul Stockyards

South St. Paid, 1962Packing House

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Jerome Liebling MN Collections