Joyce Tenneson speaks…
I’m glad I went to hear Joyce Tenneson speak last Saturday (July 11) at the Portland Museum of Art (Her exhibit there, tied to one of Julia Margaret Cameron’s work, is on view through October 4. I’ll review both exhibits next week). If you missed this lecture, I think you missed a somewhat seminal event.
It seemed to be a very important moment for Ms. Tenneson – almost a turning point – and several times during the event I think the packed auditorium was holding its collective breath as she talked from her heart to us.
Tenneson enjoys an highly successful professional life, no one would dispute it. We were privileged to see footage she discovered in her NYC storage room as she was moving to Rockport, together with other images – it was all put together in a video by John_____?, a former student of hers – and the resulting short film started with pics of her as a child, moved through her student and early marriage years, up to excerpts from an interview on the Today Show after her book “Wise Women” was published in 2002.
Part of her program showed behind the scenes footage/shots of her 20 years in the NYC Polaroid studio using the massive camera there to record scores of vital and now iconic images. It was very, very powerful.
Self Portrait with Old Man, 1986 © Joyce Tenneson
Tenneson was speaking about her deep connection to Julia Margaret Cameron’s work and became emotional as she opened her heart to share with us her thoughts about what they had in common. Tenneson concluded that through all the fame, from where she stands now, it’s the relationships and connections with others in her life, particularly her son Alex, that are, in fact, the most valued experiences of her life.
I can’t imagine anyone left that auditorium untouched by the power of her words and willingness to share with us some of the results of her long hours of solitary contemplation the previous night. Yet another gift from a master photographer, as if her work weren’t gift enough.
