John Szarkowski, 1925 - 2007

A few months ago, I'd read a small item in a photo newsletter that long-time MoMA photo curator, theorist and photographer John Szarkowski had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. Since I was unable to verify this from any traditional news source, I left it unmentioned as a rumor. As it turns out, the rumor was true. Szarkowski passed away on Saturday due to stroke-related complications.

From the Times' obituary:

When asked by a reporter how it felt to exhibit his own photographs finally, knowing they would be measured against his curatorial legacy, he became circumspect. As an artist, “you look at other people’s work and figure out how it can be useful to you,” he said.

“I’m content that a lot of these pictures are going to be interesting for other photographers of talent and ambition,” he said. “And that’s all you want.”