1934 Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: April 29th 1934 From Kindergarten through to High School in Philadelphia: Stokely,Elementary, Blaine Junior High, Central High School
1952 Graduated High School and enrolled in the Philadelphia Museum School of Art with Scholarship. Studies in graphic art, photography and painting with Franz Kline). Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (Art History) Additional studies; Temple University( Pre Medicine),Charles Morris , Price(Advertising), Barnes Foundation(Art History).St Josephs (Philosophy)
1953 Meeting and studies(1 1/2 years) with Franz Kline; first meetings with Abstract Expressionist painters in New York, and contact with Beat Generation, Robert Frank, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac,Ferlinghetti,Leroi Jones, Barbara Moraff, Edward Dahlberg, etc.
1954 First Prize at Exhibition of Industrial Photography in Philadelphia at the American Museum of Photography, Director and founder Louis Walton Sipley-Meeting s and acquaintance with Louis Kahn, Architect in Rittenhouse Square and offices in Philadelphia/ Meetings and acquaintance with Lezscase, of Howe and Lezscase architects of PSFSbuilding inPhiladelphia.
1955/56 One man exhibition of paintings and photographs in the Gilded Cage gallery in Philadelphia.Recruited into the US Army; services as Troop Information and Education,teacher: Aschaffenburg,Art Director and Scenic Designer :Stuttgart, Germany First Travels in Europe and first meetings with weavers in Offenbach Am Main-study and preparation of first cartoons for tapestry for Inge Morath and Fr. Richter (Weavers). Meetings and studies with Herbert Post (Typography, Offenbach Werkunstschule).Return to school and graduation in Spring 1957
1957 Exhibition of first Tapestry, Tower of Babel in Frankfurt am Main.Return to the USA after military discharge, completion of Studies and receiving Degree at the Philadelphia Museum School of ArtFirst job as Art Editor at Holiday Magazine , Curtis Publications in Philadelphia.
1958 First prize for tapestry, Hands of Gift and Receipt, at exhibition of work by former pupils of the Philadelphia Museum School of Art Alumni.Participation in Exhibition Religious Art of the Western World ,DallasTexas (tapestry Tower of Babel) Creation of exhibit Holiday Presents Belgium in collaboration with the Brussel's World Fair Participation in exhibit Wall Hangings of the Twentieth Century, American Federation of the Arts; USA and Canada tapestry, CO-OP.Travels in Europe and preparation of four new designs for tapestry in Offenbach am Main.
1959 Moved from Philadelphia to New York City.March 13 , One Man Exhibition of Tapestries with aqua tints, lithographs and drawings in the America house galleries NYC Exhibition of tapestries,paintings and drawings with cartoons at the 717 Gallery Pennsylvania Art Direction and photographer for Madison Avenue and Texaco Topics and Texaco Star magazinesArt Direction and Photo Prize from the Art Directors Club of New York [Title of Madison Ave Magazine;Photogram] Agent Emilio D'Antonio takes me on and encourages me to accept the responsibility by George Nelson Architects for the Design and Graphic Arts in the Dome Exhibition by Buckminster Fuller at the American National Exhibition in Moscow Also responsible for the redesign and graphics of the Family of Man exhibit as well in Moscow{outdoor design under George Nelson umbrella forms next to the Dome Director of a Symposium at the National Conference Of The American Craftsmen's Council at Lake George New YorkBegan my teaching as critic and lecturer at the Parson's School of Design NYC Motorcycle accident and six months of convalescence First Tapestry Commission for the Twentieth Century Fund by the director August Heksher. The tapestry was planned for the Conference Room. Title of Tapestry CITY OF NON DWELLERS. Arrival in London then Oxford at Christmas to begin my cartoons for tapestry
1960 Arrive in Offenbach am Main to begin the weaving of the tapestry City of Non Dwellers with Gret Mohrhardt and Inge RichterMarriage to Almut Plashka , Aschaffenburg Germany and travels in Europe Exhibition of the tapestry Kedosheem Tehehyoo at the Klingspor Museum,Offenbach am Main and the purchased for the collection by Peter Ludwig of Aachen, Germany. Return to the U.S.A. and became Art Director of Seventeen Magazine after some months working as a consultant art director for Gray Advertising creating the publicity for two new Revlon cosmetic products, Moon drops and Ultima. I was responsible for the photography and the typography design for both new products.
1961 Appointed Art Director of the Theme Exhibition at the Century 21 Exposition 1962 in Seattle,Washington. Responsible for the entire research program that would eventually develop into the cube cluster building in the great covered sport arena. Responsible for the design as well I had to create 350 active cubes from the 3600 cubes to portrait the world today and into the future.Using photography,cinematography and objects with a combination of lighting I created a Physical Montage technique which was a new advent of Multi Media of the day. The combination and execution was previously never used.
1962 Exhibition of the Tapestry , The city of Non-Dwellers at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York.Exhibit title 'Artist and Architect in Collaboration'.Second tapestry commission for the Center of the Protestant Episcopal Church in New York. The altar tapestry was approximately 6 yards high and 3 yards wide. Also development of the next design themes for the tapestries Winter,Summer and Spring. Preparation of the designs the cartoon and the died wools in Offenbach Am Main.Tapestry begins and completed . Travels in Europe and England, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy.Exhibition of unpublished children's book, Sagittarius and the Mermaid inthe Klingspor Museum, Offenbach am Main, Germany. They posses a tapestry of mine called Kedosheem Tehehyoo.
1963 One -Man exhibition of paintings and tapestries at the Interior Gallery ,Frankfurt am Main. and US Consulate party at the house of Ernst Tevis. Return to the U.S.A.The tapestry for the episcopal Church center was hung at the finished chapel on 43rd and 2nd Avenue. Together with Alexei Brodovitch and Harvey Lloyd, research and design of the Israel Pavilion for the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows N.Y.Lecturer and Critic at the Parson's School of Design N.Y. Created pedagogical project called NINEISM for all first year students of Design. It became the Christmas gift to all the other colleges in the USA from Parsons. Began work on the First World Congress of Craftsmen sponsored by the American Craftsmen's Council under the direction of Aileen Vanderbilt Webb. My co-director was Dr Rudolf Arnheim..Design and creation of exhibit The Craftsmen's Approach at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts on west 53rd Street
1964 Tapestry Kedosheem Tehehyoo exhibited in Cologne, Germany "Monumenta Judaica" Consultant Art Director and Designer for the magazine Holiday in N.Y.. Average of one to two articles a month working with the Writer, Art Director and the Photographer. Lecturer and critic at the Parson School of Design N.Y. Development of Nineism as pedagogical system for the new curriculum at the school. Chairman of presentation at the First World Congress of Craftsmen- design and execution of all physical displays and graphics and co director of symposia. such as Finland : A Point of View, together with Tapio Wirkalla, Metsovaara,Nanny Still, Ilmaari Tapiovara and Lena at the Columbia University auditorium.Development and coordination of Art Concepts in Architecture- Audio Visual program with Harvey Lloyd and Robert Sowers.Son Alexander Porter born September 18th,1964 Began work on the book design of New Matadors. Prepared Photo Essays series.End of year moved to Europe to start work in Switzerland in January 1965
1965 Began work for Jean Reiwald Advertising Agency in Basle, Switzerland- created new projects for, Mon Cheri Ferraro,Sharp washing machines,Fiat International, Hudson stockings etc.Lecturer at the World Craftsmen Council in Geneva and MontreauxAppointed Editor in Chief of Camera magazine at C.J. Bucher Lucerne SwitzerlandTravels to New York to prepare for the first issue of Camera, January,1966
1966 Begin work on Camera and moved to Lucerne Switzerland from BasleMy proposal of 8% increase the first year in sales and subscriptions exceeded my own expectations and increased to 20%. This alone had cemented my new alliance with the C J Bucher Verlag and by the third issue March 1966 I had created my style and adapted new types of production procedures that almost reduced the cost to half Remarks on Camera magazine made on the addenda of Resume
1967 Appointed member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Photographie
1969 Sagittarius and the Mermaid book printed for Alex's 5th birthday
1971 Recieved the David Octavious Hill Medallion from the Gesellschaft Deutsche Lichtbildner. Presented by Otto Steiner in Essen Lectures, workshops,juries, exhibitions. Creation of monographs and historical volumes of historical importance to the history of photography. Experiments with various printing techniques in the Lithograph offset system and the Intaglio or gravure system.. Various facsimiles in both media and experiments with the modern reproduction systems with the antique media.
First Monographs:
William Henry FoxTalbot:1976
Josef Sudek: 1976
Heinrich Kühn; 1977
Lisette Model: 1977
Catalogue of the newly found paper negatives of FoxTalbot; 1976
Exhibition: PHOTOGRAPHY A CONTEMPORARY COMPENDIUM:catalogue
1976 Exhibition: THE SECOND GENERATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS IN COLOUR:1977,catalogue With Manuel Gasser, Rosellina BuriBischof, Victor Cohen Jurg Gasser, and Walther Binder created the Schweizer Stiftung für Photographie in The Zürich Kunst haus. Originally started at Corbusier Haus with the exhibition Concerned Photographer, Camera as catalogue Special camera edition July 1976 with Henri cartier-Bresson in honor of the USA Biennial Celebration
1977 Begin a coordination of presentations, consultancy, exhibitions and Audio- visual presentations for the Recontre Arles. Yearly visits with Lucien Clergue in Lucerne lead to my yearly visits and presentations for the next ten years in Arles.,France(1977-1987).
1979 Recieved the Kultur Prize from the Deutsche Gesselschaft fuer Photographie DgPh in Cologne, Germany Highest prize in photography in Europe.Farbwerk, exhibition of Colour Photography for Kunsthaus Zürich
1980 Member of the VJS Verien der Journalist die Schweiz, Lectures and Gast Dozent in various UniversitiesExhibition Vernacular Photography USA for VenturiRauch exhibition in the Kunst Gewerbe Schule Zürich.
1981 Photomania, photographic crime novella prepared for the December issue with the theme One of a Kind.The last issue of camera appeared in December 1981. I relieved unawaited call on the 4th of October that the Ringier firm will stop publishing camera in December 1981.I had already prepare Jan. Feb and march for 1992 On December first of the year 1981 I had completed 192 issues without missing a deadline in 16years. In November of the same year lectures at the university of Zürich, Volkhochschule: Photographic Historyin the Mechanical,and Technical
1982/83 Electronic Era. University of Basel lectures Meetings with Remarkable Photographers Camera in the 1950's, book designed and written for C.J. Bucher Verlag, München, GermanyExhibition and design of catalogue Alexei Brodovitch, Grand Palais, ParisNovember 1982, under the auspices of the Culture Minister Jack LangFarbwerk II, Exhibit for Helsinki, Finland along with the lecture Camera 60 yearsAppointed Director of design and concept of the 1984 PHOTOKINA, Cologne,Germany-Exhibit entitled THE PRINTED PHOTOGRAPH with catalogue
1984 PHOTOKINA Cologne, GermanySeptember Created first of three issue of Zoom as Editor in Chief with Rene Burri as main theme First ONE MAN show of Photographs in Europe at the Nikon Gallery,Zürich, ALLAN PORTER AND FRIENDS IN PHOTOGRAPHY, 19541984Accompanied by a book REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PRESENT (Wie Ich Sie Sehen Wie ich Sie Sah)which was the zero number for the Bär Verlag series PHOTOTHEMELecturer in Winterthur Technikum,Photography Between Art and DocumentationBegin of new book series for U.Bär Verlag Zürich
0 Remembrance of Things Present
1 Josef Sudek
2.Camera Work and Alfred Steiglitz
3. Writing With Light
4 Soviet Photography 1919-1939
5 Flor Garduno: bestiarium
6. Luc Chessex: El Publico
7.Jiri Jiru: Photostroika
8. Pepi Merisio: Gli Italiani
9.Edward Sheriff Curtis 1868-1952
10 Weegee 1899-1968
11.Hanspeter Schneider: Unplugged
1985 Exhibition Josef Sudek, Nikon Gallery, ZürichLectures at ETH Zürich Appointed to Editorial board Hi Q Magazine, Heidelberg/München
1986 Contemporary Finnish Photography, Nikon Gallery ZürichBook on Photography for Universalis, Paris France( Britannica)Chinese History of Photography, book preparationVarious Photographic assignments such as Volkenkratzer magazine,Hi Q, Du and other photo and art magazines in Europe and the USA. Since 1977 until1987 visits in Arles at the Recontre during the first weeks in July. I have had 7 presentations in Theater and at least 5 presemtations and exhibitions;such as,Contemporary Photography:A Compendium1976/Colour Photography1978/ Sudek and Koudelka 1979 Der Neue Deutsche Photographie 1981 Lectures in Coimbra and Lisbon ,November
1989 Many visits to Paris and Italy during this time.Teaching and Lecturing at the Dortmund Hochschule as Gast Dozent
1991/93 One year reasearch, picture selection and writing for the Camera Exhibition: vernissage October 31st,19991 until January 8th, 1992Design of exhibition and Poster based on the 1984 Expo at photokina: original and printed inmage displayedsimultaneously, unfortunately the catalogue text by Dr N. Flueler was erroneous and not until 1992/93 was I able to get the data from Herr Hertz's son (the first Editor)
Heart Infarct November 6th 1991-Hospital one month, rehabilitation at Klinik Gais in Appenzell.. The year of 1992 was an entire rehabilitation year and preparation for the Angio Plasty which was successful.During this period I became amorous with two things that was a repugnation before: Synthetic clothes and the personal computer.For mynew hiking and trekking sport I am devoted to synthetic clothing and spent the next year and half teaching myself the CPU or Apple Macintosh LC and color monitor all the refinements of the technology in order to assist all new projects from writing to design on and with the help of the computer..Completed the last book of Bär Verlag in both layout and text design with the corrections of type in the German language.There was no problem with the printer Vontobel, Zürich and I had never worked so expediently. It would be a fact that if I were the Edit the magazine Camera once again I would need only a part time secretary and a CPU to create all 12 issues a year.Leave in December 1993 for U S A for lectures ,research and writingPrepare Theater event 34/64/94 at Kleintheater, Lucerne 29 April,1994Prepare and design Exhibition 34/64/94 from 3 May-23 May 1994 at the Kornschütte LuzernCommisioned to create and design exhibition and catalogue for the exhibit THE INNOVATIVE WOMAN IN PHOTOGRAPHY at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, Pa. U S A for 1998
1994 Final preparation and design of 34/64/94, Theater event and exhibition in Lucerne ( the Kleintheater and Kornschutte, Luzern in celebration of my 60th Birthday) April 29th presentation of writings,Poetry, Prose, Essays at Kleintheater, Lucerne Published Upon the Opening.... a book of poems on my Birthday May 3rd to May 23rd Allan Porter exhibit at Kornschütte, Luzern. Preparation for books on Chinese Photography, Collection, and essays on Photography.Travel to the USA from December,1994 to February,1995 for research on coming projects - lectures, books, ehibitions and Macintosh software and hardware34 Lectures prepared and edited from the first ten years of CameraResearch and preparation on Novel THE NEOPHYTES and The Judy Lopinson Murder research at the Samuel Paley library at the U of Temple, Urban Library(Brenda Wright) Novel and lectures planned for 1995 with lecture series at School for Design in ZürichBook research and preparation entitled PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHY COMPUTER from Analog to Digital, a concise history
1995 Designand Production of ART CATALOG of the Us Embassey in Bern on California Art: Ammbassador Mr. Larry Lawerence and Mrs Shela Lawerence
1996 Begin with Schindler Elevaror Company projects Brochures, Magazines and Design Projects such as Schindler Marine Mix, Vertical Futures, SchindlerMobile elevision, Exhibition Museum BellPark, Kriens Collection Allan Porter and Symposium
1997 Gallerie Schenker, Luzern Fotoforum Ce n'est pas une exposition, aber trotzdem Preparation of Homepage in Internet; Completeing China History of Photography; Revising book projects and other text for Internet
1998 Schindler Maintenance elevision in preparation ; Internet completed Homesite; designonsense and another site another sight ; intensive work on Novel and new internet publishing projects
Entrance in Encyclopedie Des Photographes de 1839A Nos Jours, Geneva Entrance in Encyclopedia
Description: Porter Bertelsmann Lexicon Trailer: CIS: BRT-70278 Date: 25/4/95
Porter['po:te], 1. Allan, US-amerikan. Photograph, *29. 4. 1934 Philadelphia; vereinigt in seinen durch Stille gekennzeichneten Arbeiten die Photographie mit den technischen u. gestalter. Mitteln der Graphik. 2. Cole, US-amerikan. Komponist, *9. 6. 1891 Peru, Ind., gest.15. 10. 1964 Santa Monica, Calif.; komponierte Filmmusiken, Schlager u. Musicals ("Kiss me, Kate" 1948, "Can Can" 1953 u. "Silk Stockings" 1955). 3. Eliot Furness, US-amerikan. Photograph, *1901 Winnetka/Illinois; war 1930-1939 Dozent fuer Biochemie u. Bakteriologie in Harvard. A. Stieglitz, den er 1939 kennenlernte, arrangierte fuer ihn eine erste Photoausstellung. Erhielt 1941 das Guggenheim-Stipendium fuer Photographie lebender Voegel. Hptw.: "Bilder us China" 1984. 4. George, brit. Chemiker, *6. 12. 1920 Thorne;Nobelpreis fuer Chemie 1967, zusammen mit M. Eigen u. Ronald G. W. Norrish, fuer Untersuchungen von Reaktionsmechanismen sehr schneller 1894 Indian Creek, Texas, gest.17. 9. 1980 Silver Springs, Md.; ihre Kurzgeschichten zeichnen sich durch Perfektion der Form u. psychologische Motivation aus; Roman "Das Narrenschiff" 1962, dt. 19636.Rodney R., brit. Biochemiker, *8. 10. 1917 Ashton, gest.7. 9. 1985 in Suedengland; Prof. in Oxford; erhielt 1972 mit G. Edelman den Nobelpreis fuer Medizin. 7. William Sydney -->O'Henry (2).
SUPPLEMENT TO CURRICULA VITA:ALLAN PORTER
MAGAZINES:Assistant or CoArt Direction
Holiday, Madison Ave.,Texaco Topics:1957-1959
MAGAZINES: Art Direction
Seventeen, Alitalia, Sky,Du, Camera:1960-70's
MAGAZINES: Edited and Designed (Art Direction)(Editor in Chief)
Camera:19651981
Zoom:1984
BOOKS: Art Direction
Neue Matadore:1964
Alexie Brodovitch:1978
BOOKS:Author,Edited and Art Directed
Camera in the Fünfzige Jahre
BOOKS: Author, Edited, Art Direction and Publisher PHOTOTHEMA: Bär Verlag Zürich
0. Wie ich sie sehe Wie ich sie sah
1. Josef Sudek
2. Camera Work and Alfred Stieglitz
3. Schreiben Mit Licht
4. Soviet Photographie 19191939
5. El Publico, Luc Chessex
6. Bestarium, Flor Garduno
7.Photostroika,Jiri Jiru
8. Gli Italiano, Pepi Merisio
9 Edward Sherif Curtis 18681952
10 Weegee 18991968
11. Unplugged, Hanspeter Schneider
12. A Photographic Collection by a Photographic Critic
13. *A Concise History of Chinese Photography
14. *Out of Fashion (* due in 1994)
BOOKS: Written by;
The Neophytes, a Novel 1955 (Unfinished)
Sagittarius And The Mermaid, 1960/69, Children's book
There was a Land of Day with Zebras with White Stripes and Black Bodies;
A children's book, 1975
A Child's Garden of Photography,1978
Photomania, a short story, 1981
CATALOGUES: Introductions
Alexie Brodovitch
Barnaby Bossart,1989
Tomiyasu Shiraiwa,1987
David Scopic, 1990( to name a few)
CATALOGUES: Edited and Design
Alexei Brodovitch, 1978
Photokina,1984
International Photography in Venice, 1978
PORTFOLIOS: Edited and Designed
Polaroid 105, 1972
Polaroid SX70, 12 Instant Images 1973
Polaroid Instant Images 1974
EXHIBITIONS: Designer and Creative Director
Holiday meets Belgium, Philadelphia 1958
American National Exhibition in Moscow,1959
Century 21, Theme Exhibition, Seattle, Washington 1962
Color Photography, Arles France 1978
First World Congress of Craftsmen,1960
Museum of Contemporary Crafts. 1961
Photokina The Printed Photograph, 1984
Camera 19221982 Sixty years, Kunsthaus Zürich,1991
POSTERS: Design
William Carlos Williams Philadelphia 1953
T S Eliot, Philadelphia 1954
E E Cummings 1954 (poetry readings)
First World Congress of Craftsmen, New York 1961
LNN, Lucerne 1968
Beatrix bathing fashion,Italia Photographer O.Toscani 1972
Loveable, underwear, Italia Photographer O. Toscani1 973
Photokina, Cologne 1984
Camera 60 Years, Zürich Photographer Marjolaine Dutoit
MONOGRAPHS:Edited and Designed
Edward Sheriff Curtis 1973
Robert Demachy 1974
Imogen Cunningham 1975
Josef Sudek 1976
Otto Steiner 1976
Henri Cartier Bresson 1976
W.H.Fox Talbot 1976
Heinrich Kühn 1977
Lisette Model 1977
Blanquart Evrard 1978
Josef Koudelka 1979
Julia Margaret Cameron 1979
Mark Cohen 1980
Christer Strømholm 1980
Pla Janini 1980
Bonfils 1981
William Klein 1981