Milton Rogovin - Social documentary photographer

July 15, 2006 12:12 PM

In the late 50's Milton Rogovin, started taking pictures at churches on the east side of Buffalo. His next project Family of Miners, began in Appalachia but would eventually span 10 countries. He returned to Buffalo's east side a number of times creating triptychs and quartets of families spanning decades.
posted by arse_hat (5 comments total)

Thank you for the great links, arse_hat. I love looking at these stark type of black and white photos -- whether it's from the dust bowl era, lower east side of Manhattan immigrants or Mr. Rogovin's subjects. Aside from being lovely photos, it points out that a lot of folks still have one hell of a hard life yet maintain a certain quiet dignity. :)
posted by bim at 3:06 PM on July 15, 2006

Hey, Milton Rogovin introduced my parents! Now they're divorced. He's a far better photographer than matchmaker.
posted by stet at 3:27 PM on July 15, 2006

I was about to leave a comment about how much I liked the photos...but then Stet stole my buzz...
posted by bokeh at 2:47 PM on July 16, 2006

I used to see some of his photos almost every day... they're in the subway station outside where I went to high school. Yes, Buffalo has a subway. No, it doesn't really go anywhere. Yes, it was a massive boondoggle and is blamed (at least partially) for the failure of downtown. No, our politicians don't seem to get that suburbs had a greater impact... but I digress.

There's another documentary film that features Rogovin that was made here in Buffalo circa 89 or so. I can't remember what it's called and can't seem to find any reference to it on the net.
posted by jdfan at 9:10 AM on July 17, 2006

In fairness, he's a *really* good photographer.

I remember his wife, Anne (maybe Ann, I honestly don't know), talking about one of their children who'd gone to medical school and become a doctor. She seemed to almost want to apologize for this worldly success, except for the fact that their child had become a G.P. and was serving the community in an appropriately humble fashion.

They live/lived in a different world than I do. There's community and longevity and roots, I'm just another midwesterner cum west coaster. I don't have the relationship with my neighborhood and community that the Rogovins have/had. On one hand, it's too bad, on the other hand, it's a product of the tremendous privilige I've enjoyed. Milton's work has helped me understand both those areas in which I am priviliged and those areas where I have that lack that follows us comparatively wealthy and upwardly mobile folk around.

And, fuck, ain't that what good art's all about?
posted by stet at 9:25 PM on July 17, 2006