Robert Stiegler

Robert Stiegler (1938–1990) was a Chicago filmmaker and photographer, whose work grew out of the approaches to photography and design taught at the Institute of Design (ID) in the 1960s and 1970s. Stiegler received his Bachelor's degree in 1960 and his Master's degree in 1970 from ID, where he studied under Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind and was part of a group of students that included Barbara Crane, Kenneth Josephson, Tom Rago, and Richard Nickel.[1] His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the George Eastman House, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and the University of Illinois Chicago.[2] His films Traffic (1960), Capitulation (1965), Licht Spiel Nur 1 (1967), and Full Circle (1968) are housed at the Chicago Film Archives.[3]

Biography

Robert Stiegler lived in Chicago his entire life as a photographer and filmmaker. During his artistic career he became best known for his street documentation, nature photography, positive and negative abstractions, and films.

Stiegler studied with Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind from 1956-1960 at the Institute of Design, as well as working for other Chicago photographers such as Vince Maselli, and Morton Goldsholl Design Associates in the early 1960s.[4]

In 1966, Stiegler took a professorship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, he headed the Photography Department, becoming a key figure in establishing the program that exists today. Stiegler taught at the university until his death in 1990.[5]

Photography career

Stiegler received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council.[2]

Gallery 400 at the University of Illinois at Chicago mounted a retrospective of his work in 1992. Stiegler's work was included in an exhibition of more than fifty photographs by students of ID professors Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind at Stephen Daiter Gallery in 2010.[6] Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago exhibited his work Chicago, 1974, alongside other Chicago photographers, and filmmakers during the CITY SELF[7] exhibition in 2014. The California Museum of Photography showcased a retrospective of photography in Chicago in honor of Charles Desmarais in 2016. The exhibition, The Chicago Gift Revisited, displayed Stiegler’s work with pieces from twenty-two other Chicago-based photographers.[8] Stiegler's work was showcased at Art Basel[9] in 2017, represented by the Corbett vs. Dempsey.[10][11]

The Library of Congress holds Stiegler's photograph State Street, Chicago (1973) in its collection. Pieces in the AIC collection include Chicago Circus (1976), Temple of Amon, Luxor Eg. (1981), Untitled (1965), and Untitled, (1971).[12]

Film career

Robert Stiegler’s practice included both photography and filmmaking. During his time at Institute of Design (ID) he experimented with film, creating multiple works exploring abstraction, and negative exposure.

Out of the Vault: Robert Stiegler – Light Play, showcased a collection of his film works including Traffic (1960), Capitulation (1965), Licht Spiel Nur (1967), Full Circle (1968). Each work was shown on 16mm film. This program of films highlights the influence of Moholy-Nagy’s teachings on his work, in particular his use of light and interest in formal experimentation.[13]

Exhibition history
GalleryTitleDate
Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL (Corbett vs. Dempsey) 2017
California Museum of Photography, Riverside, CA The Chicago Gift Revisited 2016
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, IL CITY SELF 2014
Stephen Daiter Gallery, Chicago, IL Passing the Torch: The Chicago Students of Callahan and Siskind 2010
Gallery 400, University of Illinois, Chicago, ILRobert Stiegler Retrospective1992
Museum of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA1987
The Photography Gallery, Hurst, TX1984
Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College, Chicago, IL1983
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR1979
Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL1978
Cincinnati Art Academy, Cincinnati, OH1978
Evanston Art Center, Evanston, ILRecent Photographs: U.S.A and England, University of Illinois at Chicago1977
Lightfall Gallery of Photography, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL1973
Gallery 500, Chicago, IL1967

Film showings
GalleryDate
Out of the Vault: Robert Stiegler – Light Play, Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL 2018
Prospectives on Peace, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL1989
The Gallery of Modern Art, New York, NY, University of North Carolina, St Louis University of New York, State University of New York, Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL1971
De Paul University, Chicago, IL (with lecture), Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL (with lecture), Rosner Gallery, Chicago, IL (with lecture), Live From Chicago Gallery (one person), The Clark Theatre, Chicago, IL, Milton (WI) College, Carnegie Tech, Pittsburgh, PA, University of Massachusetts, University of Oregon, Kendall College, Evanston, IL1968
Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL, Alumni Club of Chicago, Chicago, IL, Aardvark Cinemtheque, Chicago, IL, Kovler Gallery, Chicago, IL, 3 Penny Cinema, Chicago, IL, P.A.C. Gallery, Chicago, IL, Second City, Chicago, IL1967
The Analyst Theatre, Denver CO, The Depot, Champaign, IL1966
Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago IL1963
Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago IL1962
First International Film Festival, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, Films have been shown on pUblic Television in Chicago1961

[14]

Grants and fellowships
TitleDate
Artists Grant, Illinois Arts Council1983
Photographers Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, Research Leave, University of Illinois, Research Board1980

References
  1. King, Elaine (1978). 70s Wide View. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University, Dittmar Memorial Gallery.
  2. "About the Photographer: Robert Stiegler". Museum of Contemporary Photography. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  3. Puetz, Michelle. "Collection Spotlight Robert Stiegler". Chicago Film Archives. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  4. Taken by design : photographs from the Institute of Design, 1937-1971. Travis, David, 1948-, Siegel, Elizabeth, 1969-, Davis, Keith F., 1952-, Art Institute of Chicago. (1st ed.). Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago in association with the University of Chicago Press. 2002. ISBN 0226811670. OCLC 48449945.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. Warren, Lynn (2005). Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Photography. Key Features Publication.
  6. "Passing the Torch: The Chicago Students of Callahan and Siskind « Stephen Daiter Gallery". Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  7. "CITY SELF". MCA. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  8. "UCR ARTS". ucrarts.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  9. Basel, Art. "Art Basel". Art Basel. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  10. "Home". Corbett vs. Dempsey. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  11. Basel, Art. "Robert Stiegler". Art Basel. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  12. "Collections: Stiegler, Robert". The Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  13. "Out of the Vault: Robert Stiegler – Light Play – Chicago Film Archives". Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  14. Weinstein, Michael (1992). Robert Stiegler Retropsective 1938-1990. University of Illinois at Chicago: Gallery 400 School of Art and Design.
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