Ralph Eugene MeatyardBy: Avelino Jimenez

Meatyard: “masks erased the differences between people”

Biography

Born: May 25th, 1925

Death: May 7th, 1972

From: Normal, Illinois

Lived: Lexington, Kentucky

• Joined the Lexington Camera Club in 1954

• Attended Williams College and became a licensed Optician

Romance of Ambrose Bierce #3 (From Center for Photographic Studies, Portfolio 3), 1964

There Life

Meatyard attended a University High School and was a happy teen.

Once he graduated he joined the Navy and Went to Williams College as a student in the predentistry program.

He gets married and moves back with his parents.

While living with his parents he moved around a lot because his father was switching jobs a lot. His father best work was to rebuild broken down houses.

Meatyard’s father influenced his theme of abandoned ball parks, Mansions etc.

During Meatyard’s adult life he was an optician until he bought his first camera so he could take pictures of his first born child.

Untitled, ca. 1960

His Experience

Once meatyard joined the lexington camera club Cranston Ritchie and Van Deren Coke became very important mentors to him.

Meatyard wasn’t like other mainstream photogrophers in his days.

Meatyard liked to mess around with motion blur and different exposures.

Lite Sound [from Portraits of Self], 1959

Untitled, 1959

Untitled, 1960

Untitled, 1963

Untitled, ca. 1964

Untitled, ca. 1968

Untitled, ca. 1968-72

Lucybelle Crater and photo friend from the rural provinces Lucybelle

Crater , 1970-72

Lucybelle Crater and her P.O. brother Lucybelle Crater, 1970-72

Untitled, ca. 1958

Untitled, ca. 1968

Emulation

#2 Motion, ca. 1968-72 My Emulation: Thms Motion

Emulation

Untitled, 1963My Emulation: Lenz

resources

"Ralph Eugene Meatyard: The Man Behind the Masks Read More: Http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/ralph-eugene-meatyard-the-man-behind-the-masks-106625198/#3UlzB5X3VSJGT226.99 Give the Gift of Smithsonian Magazine for Only $12! Http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv Follow Us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter." Smithsonian Magazine. David Zax, Nov. 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2015.

"Ralph Eugene Meatyard." Fraenkel Gallery. Bad Feather, n.d. Web.

"Meatyard, Ralph Eugene." Museum of Contemporary Photographers. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mocp.org%2Fdetail.php%3Ft%3Dpeople%26type%3Drelated%26kv%3D7440>.

McDermott, Theodore. "RALPH EUGENE MEATYARD: “The Family Albums of Ralph Eugene Meatyard” (2006)." AMERICAN SUBURB X. N.p., 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.americansuburbx.com/2011/11/ralph-eugene-meatyard-the-family-albums-of-ralph-eugene-meatyard-2006-2.html>.