Art Kane
Encyclopedia
Art Kane born Arthur Kanofsky in New York City
, was a fashion and music photographer active from the 1950s through early 1990s. He created many portraits of musicians, including Bob Dylan
, The Who
and the Rolling Stones
.
During World War Two he served in an unusual deception unit known as The Ghost Army
that was an incubator for many young artists.
He became, at age 26, the art director for Seventeen Magazine, one of the youngest art directors of a major publication. He began to explore his passion for photography, eventually studying under the legendary Alexey Brodovitch. In 1958, he got an assignment that would launch his career as a photographer. He managed to assemble 57 legendary jazz
musicians, for Esquire magazine in 1958 in Harlem
. Eventually this photograph would became the basis for a documentary, A Great Day in Harlem
.
Art Kane is credited in the book Stainless Steel Illusion for the photograph of John DeLorean with the DeLorean DMC-12 sports car that was the basis for the only magazine advertisement ever created by DeLorean Motor Company.
The Art Kane Photo Workshops were created in 1989, in Cape May New Jersey. They were week-long workshops with notable photographers.
Kane died in 1995, aged 69 after committing suicide. He is survived by at least one known son, Nicholas Kane. Another son, Jonathan Kane, is the former drummer of Swans
and played with Rhys Chatham
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was a fashion and music photographer active from the 1950s through early 1990s. He created many portraits of musicians, including Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.
During World War Two he served in an unusual deception unit known as The Ghost Army
The Ghost Army
The Ghost Army was a United States Army tactical deception unit during World War II officially known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. The 1,100-man unit was given a unique mission within the Army to impersonate other U.S. Army units to deceive the enemy...
that was an incubator for many young artists.
He became, at age 26, the art director for Seventeen Magazine, one of the youngest art directors of a major publication. He began to explore his passion for photography, eventually studying under the legendary Alexey Brodovitch. In 1958, he got an assignment that would launch his career as a photographer. He managed to assemble 57 legendary jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians, for Esquire magazine in 1958 in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. Eventually this photograph would became the basis for a documentary, A Great Day in Harlem
A Great Day in Harlem
A Great Day in Harlem or Harlem 1958 is a 1958 black and white group portrait of 57 notable jazz musicians photographed on a street in Harlem, New York City. The photo has remained an important object in the study of the history of jazz....
.
Art Kane is credited in the book Stainless Steel Illusion for the photograph of John DeLorean with the DeLorean DMC-12 sports car that was the basis for the only magazine advertisement ever created by DeLorean Motor Company.
The Art Kane Photo Workshops were created in 1989, in Cape May New Jersey. They were week-long workshops with notable photographers.
Kane died in 1995, aged 69 after committing suicide. He is survived by at least one known son, Nicholas Kane. Another son, Jonathan Kane, is the former drummer of Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
and played with Rhys Chatham
Rhys Chatham
Rhys Chatham is an American composer, guitarist, and trumpet player, primarily active in avant-garde and minimalist music. He is best known for his "guitar orchestra" compositions...
.