Philip Gefter
Encyclopedia
Philip Gefter is an American author and photography critic. He was on staff at The New York Times
for over fifteen years, notably as the Page One Picture Editor and as a Senior Picture Editor for Culture. He began writing about photography for the paper in 2003 and continues to write about the subject for The Daily Beast. His essays are collected in the book, Photography After Frank (Aperture, 2009).
In 2010, he and Richard Press (who were married in 2008) completed a feature-length documentary entitled Bill Cunningham New York
, about The New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham
.
In spring 2009, he began work on a biography of Sam Wagstaff
, the curator, collector, and patron of Robert Mapplethorpe
, for the publisher W. W. Norton
.
In 2002, he and Richard Press commissioned the architect, Michael Bell, to build a house for them in New York State's Hudson Valley. The Gefter-Press House, completed in 2007, is included in the book, American Masterworks: Houses of the Twentieth and Twenty First Centuries (Rizzoli), by the architectural historian, Kenneth Frampton
Gefter received a fine arts degree from the Pratt Institute
in painting and photography. Upon graduation, he took a job as a picture researcher in the Time-Life Picture Collection, which gave him first-hand exposure to the photographs of Walker Evans, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Alfred Eisenstaedt, among a roster of other photographers who had set a standard for photojournalism. He then took a job at Aperture Foundation
and, as assistant editor, worked on the Aperture History of Photography series and on publications such as Edward Weston: Nudes; America and Lewis Hine; and the re-publication of Robert Frank’s The Americans.
In 1982, Henry Geldzahler
, then commissioner of cultural affairs for the city of New York, appointed him photography advisor to the Department of Cultural Affairs, where he put together a program of public exhibitions.
Beginning in the early ’70s, he was active in the gay rights movement, in these organizations: "Gay Activists Alliance;" Gay Academic Union;" and "Gay Media Coalition." He coauthored and was a subject of a book about his same-sex relationship, Lovers: The Story of Two Men (Avon Books, 1979). In 1981, he was a founding member of the Gay Men's Health Crisis
, formed in Larry Kramer’s living room when the earliest cases of AIDS (still then yet to be named) were reported. In 1991, he was a founding member of the New York chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
, serving as chapter president from 1993 to 1995.
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
for over fifteen years, notably as the Page One Picture Editor and as a Senior Picture Editor for Culture. He began writing about photography for the paper in 2003 and continues to write about the subject for The Daily Beast. His essays are collected in the book, Photography After Frank (Aperture, 2009).
In 2010, he and Richard Press (who were married in 2008) completed a feature-length documentary entitled Bill Cunningham New York
Bill Cunningham New York
Bill Cunningham New York is a 2010 documentary film directed by Richard Press and produced by Philip Gefter. Bill Cunningham New York is distributed by Zeitgeist Films and was released in theaters on March 16, 2011.-Synopsis:...
, about The New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham
Bill Cunningham (photographer)
William J. Cunningham is a fashion photographer for The New York Times, known for his candid and street photography.-Life and career:...
.
In spring 2009, he began work on a biography of Sam Wagstaff
Sam Wagstaff
Samuel Jones Wagstaff Jr. was an American art curator and collector as well as the artistic mentor and benefactor of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and poet-punk rocker Patti Smith...
, the curator, collector, and patron of Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
, for the publisher W. W. Norton
W. W. Norton
W. W. Norton & Company is an independent American book publishing company based in New York City. It is well known for its "Norton Anthologies", particularly the Norton Anthology of English Literature and the "Norton Critical Editions" series of texts which are frequently assigned in university...
.
In 2002, he and Richard Press commissioned the architect, Michael Bell, to build a house for them in New York State's Hudson Valley. The Gefter-Press House, completed in 2007, is included in the book, American Masterworks: Houses of the Twentieth and Twenty First Centuries (Rizzoli), by the architectural historian, Kenneth Frampton
Kenneth Frampton
Kenneth Frampton , is a British architect, critic, historian and the Ware Professor of Architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at Columbia University, New York....
Gefter received a fine arts degree from the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
in painting and photography. Upon graduation, he took a job as a picture researcher in the Time-Life Picture Collection, which gave him first-hand exposure to the photographs of Walker Evans, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Alfred Eisenstaedt, among a roster of other photographers who had set a standard for photojournalism. He then took a job at Aperture Foundation
Aperture Foundation
The Aperture Foundation was founded in 1952 by Ansel Adams, Minor White, Barbara Morgan, Dorothea Lange, Nancy Newhall, Beaumont Newhall, Ernest Louie, Melton Ferris, and Dody Warren. Their vision was to create a forum for fine art photography, a new concept at the time. The first issue of...
and, as assistant editor, worked on the Aperture History of Photography series and on publications such as Edward Weston: Nudes; America and Lewis Hine; and the re-publication of Robert Frank’s The Americans.
In 1982, Henry Geldzahler
Henry Geldzahler
Henry Geldzahler was a curator of contemporary art in the late 20th century, as well as a modern art art historian and art critic...
, then commissioner of cultural affairs for the city of New York, appointed him photography advisor to the Department of Cultural Affairs, where he put together a program of public exhibitions.
Beginning in the early ’70s, he was active in the gay rights movement, in these organizations: "Gay Activists Alliance;" Gay Academic Union;" and "Gay Media Coalition." He coauthored and was a subject of a book about his same-sex relationship, Lovers: The Story of Two Men (Avon Books, 1979). In 1981, he was a founding member of the Gay Men's Health Crisis
Gay Men's Health Crisis
The Gay Men's Health Crisis is a New York City-based non-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based AIDS service organization that has led the United States in the fight against AIDS.-1980s:...
, formed in Larry Kramer’s living room when the earliest cases of AIDS (still then yet to be named) were reported. In 1991, he was a founding member of the New York chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association is an American professional association dedicated to unbiased coverage of gay/lesbian issues in the media...
, serving as chapter president from 1993 to 1995.