/-1

work — out-of-focus, very fuzzy, hazy
began. But his father's picture-taking
kinds of images. But Bill is the only per-
hobby probably had something to do
son who was able to give that look a real
with it.
kind of emotional weight."
"He had a dark room in the base-
Jacobson's work hangs in the perma-
ment, and I think it was his influence a
nent collections of the Metropolitan
bit," says Jacobson.
Niluseum of Art in New York, the San
He also credits a stay in France at age
Francisco Museum of Modern Art and
16. "I lived Nvi th a French family. [It was
the Guggenheim.
inspiring] being in another culture, see-
The Ann Arbor exhibit comes from a
ing things and having experiences that I
show that originated at the Rupertinum
wanted to document," he says.
in Salzberg, Austria. After the U-M
Early on, Jacobson thumbed through
exhibit, Jacobson and his work will trav-
a book of Diane Arbus' photographs.
el on a cross-country tour.
Born to wealthy Jewish parents, Arbus
Meanwhile, "Bill
documented
Jacobson: Portraits, Songs,
-he underbelly
Thoughts, 1992-199r-
Of life. "I found
ties in well with two other
[her photogra-
exhibits coming to the
phy to be] very
museum, says Carole
powerful," says
McNamara, assistant
Jacobson. "It
director for exhibitions
changed my
and collections at the U-
life. I found the
M Museum of Art.
power of what a
His photographs will
photograph
3!
hang
near work by Pol-
could be.
ish
sculptor
Magdalena
In college at
Abakanowicz and Czech
Brown Univer-
photographer Hana
sity, Jacobson
Hamplova.
delved into
Two women. making
photography.
art
"behind the Iron
Establishing
Curtain,
theirs are
what would
images
of
freedom, per-
become a life-
severance, endurance,
long commit-
says McNamara. Jacob-
ment to the
son's photographs are
medium, he
Bill Jacobson: "Interim Portrait
sophisticated and sooth-
took photogra-
#373, "color print, 1992.
ing, dealing with the fig-
phy classes at
ural,
like
Abakanowicz,
yet more
the nearby Rhode Island School of
refined,
like
Hamplova,
she
says.
Design. After Brown, he earned an
His
photographs
have
an
"open-
N4FA from the San Francisco Art Insti-
ended
quality,"
McNamara
continues.
tute.
"The very abstract way he depicts figures
All along, says Jacobson, his art has
really addresses the technical complexity
been affected by his Judaism. But his
of the images, but also reflects his con-
heritage has more to do with history and
cerns of the role of memory in our lives,
Holocaust than observance, and the
how memory slips away from us over
ideas of loss so prevalent in the Holo-
time."
caust permeate his work.
Whatever people take away after
"Growing up in the Jewish commu-
viewing
his work, Jacobson is pleased.
nity in the '50s, images from the Holo-
"People seem to be taken with the
caust were very much with me as a
emotional content of the work," he says.
child," he says.
Photography is "a mystery, never know-
He vocally supports the controversial
ing what you get." 7
"correlation between the Holocaust and
the AIDS epidemic," while admitting
"they are very different." U-M's Institute
"Bill Jacobson: Portraits,
for the Humanities has invited him to
Songs, Thoughts, 1992-97"
return to campus in March to discuss
opens at the University of Michi-
the connection between AIDS and the
gan Museum of Art with a
Holocaust, and how the two relate to
gallery talk and book signing by
i mages of loss.
the artist 5-7 p.m. Friday, Jan.
Jacobson's work has been well
29. The exhibition continues
received in art circles. Vince Alerti, pho-
through March 28. 525 S. State
nography critic for the Village Voice, says:
St., Ann Arbor. (313) 764-0395.
"Bill came along at a time when a num-
ber of other people were doing similar

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1/15
1999

Detroit Jewish News

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