Chester Kessler Dance Photography Collection
Finding aid created by Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library staff using RecordEXPRESS
Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library
2022
2200 Jerrold Avenue
Suite T
San Francisco, California 94124
4157413531
info@mpdsf.org
http://www.mpdsf.org/
Title: Chester Kessler Dance Photography Collection
Dates: 1949-1974
Collection Number: 981.041
Creator/Collector:
Kessler, Chester
Extent: No. of containers: 7 boxes. Linear feet: 2.3
Repository:
Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library
San Francisco, California 94124
Abstract: Chester Kessler was a student of Minor White’s photography program at the California School of Fine Arts. In the 1950s, he
was a part of San Francisco’s North Beach scene, photographing Beat writers, poets, and artists, including Allen Ginsburg
and James Baldwin. During the late 1950s and the early 1960s, he photographed and documented performances of postmodern dancer
Anna Halprin and San Francisco Dancer’s Workshop. His collection at MP+D contains approximately 1,500 photographs, negatives
and transparencies of important dancers and dance companies including such notables as George Balanchine, Ruth Beckford, Carlos
Carvajal, Lew Christensen, Anna Halprin, and Welland Lathrop.
Language of Material: English
Entire collection is open for research use.
Literary, property, and publication rights have been assigned to the Museum of Performance + Design.
[Identification of item]. Chester Kessler Dance Photography Collection. Collection Number: 981.041. Museum of Performance
and Design, Performing Arts Library
This collection of dance photographs by Chester Kessler was received as a gift to the library from Robert Johnson on July
14, 1987.
Biography/Administrative History
Chester Monroe Kessler was born in New Melle, Missouri, on May 6, 1919. Kessler was raised in Missouri and went to high school
in St. Louis. After World War II, Kessler moved to Los Angeles. He studied photography at the Art Center School in Los Angeles
and animation and film making at the University of Southern California. After moving to San Francisco, Kessler studied with
Minor White, Bill Grant Jr., and Oliver Gagliani.
Since 1954, Kessler has had three one-man shows at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Kessler has also exhibited at U.C.
Berkeley, U.C. Davis, The University of Indiana, The Oakland Museum, Gottham Bookmart Gallery in New York City, Light Sound
Dimension in San Francisco, and the Focus Gallery in San Francisco.
Kessler is represented in the Theatre Arts Collection of the New York Public Library, in the Erotica Collection of the Kinsly
Institute, and in numerous private collections.
Chester Kessler died in San Francisco on May 6, 1979.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection consists of photographs of important local dancers and dance companies, negatives and transparencies, and
biographical information. The photographic materials feature such notables as George Balanchine, Ruth Beckford, Carlos Carvajal,
Lew Christensen, Anna Halprin, Welland Lathrop, and Zack Thompson. They cover the period between 1949 and 1974.
Ballet companies -- California -- San Francisco -- 20th century.
Ballet dancers -- Portraits.
Balanchine, George.
Beckford, Ruth.
Caravajal, Carlos.
Christensen, Lew, 1909-1984.
Halprin, Anna.
Thompson, Zack.
Dance Spectrum.
Ruth Beckford and Company.
San Francisco Ballet.
Welland Lathrop Company.
Photographs