Harry Callahan’s Pornographic Appropriations

What is it about?

This article examines a series of images created by photographer Harry Callahan in the 1960s and 70s. The images incorporate appropriated pornographic imagery, overlaying it with scenes of the streets of Providence, Rhode Island. The article considers the images in the context of Callahan's other work, contending that perceptions of him as a pure, apolitical formalist are limiting and ultimately misdirected.

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Why is it important?

Through Callahan's series of pornographic appropriations, the article considers the broader difficulty of reconciling formalism with critique, particularly in appropriation art and especially when the appropriated imagery is difficult, challenging, or controversial.