Guide to the Barbara Morgan Photographs of Martha Graham and Company MS.P.064
Processed by Andre Ambrus.
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
(cc) 2004
The UCI Libraries
P.O. Box 19557
University of California, Irvine
Irvine 92623-9557
spcoll@uci.edu
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
Title: Barbara Morgan photographs of Martha Graham and Company,
Creator:
Morgan, Barbara Brooks
Identifier/Call Number: MS.P.064
Physical Description:
0.1 Linear Feet
(1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1935-1940
Abstract: This collection comprises three images
of Graham and five of her company in performance, all printed from the original negatives in
Willard and Barbara Morgan Archives.
Language of Material:
English .
Collection open for research.
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by
the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish,
please contact the Head of Special Collections and University Archives.
Barbara Morgan photographs of Martha Graham and Company. MS-P64. Special Collections and
Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information
about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder
descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Acquired, 2004, with funds from a National College Choreography Initiative grant to the UC
Irvine Dance Department, and from The John and Elizabeth Stahr Library Fund.
Processed by Andre Ambrus and description written by Ryan Hildebrand, 2004.
Martha Graham was an American dancer, instructor, choreographer, and director of the Martha
Graham Dance Company. She was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania in 1894. Her formative
training was with Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn at the Denishawn School and Company in Los
Angeles. Graham went on to teach at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., where
she began to explore more experimental dance techniques. One of the most influential figures
in modern dance, she created over 100 works, including solo, ensemble, and theatrical
pieces. As a teacher Graham fostered the continuing evolution of modern dance through former
company members such as Anna Sokolow, Merce Cunningham, and Paul Taylor. She died in
1991.
Barbara Morgan was an American photographer particularly well known for her work, both
experimental and documentary, with modern dancers. She was born in Buffalo, Kansas in 1900.
Though formally trained in painting and printmaking at the University of California, Los
Angeles, Morgan developed an interest in photography after seeing an exhibit of Edward
Weston's photographs. One of Morgan's early major undertakings as a photographer was her
work with Martha Graham and the Martha Graham Dance Company during the years1935-1940, which
formed the basis for her book, Martha Graham: sixteen dances, published in 1941. Morgan's
dance photographs were groundbreaking in their departure from "performance documentation"
and helped to revolutionized dance photography. She died in 1992.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection comprises three images of Graham and five of her company in performance,
all printed from the original negatives in Willard and Barbara Morgan Archives.
Images are black and white and range from 11 x 14 to 16 x 20 inches.
Photographs are arranged alphabetically by title of the choreographic work depicted.
Related photographs and performance programs of Martha Graham and her company can be found
in the following collections in Special Collections and Archives.
- MS-P21, Dance Photograph Collection
- MS-P26, Dance Program Collection
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Modern dance -- Photographs.
Photographic prints -- 20th century.
Graham, Martha -- Photographs
Martha Graham Dance Company -- Photographs
Willard & Barbara Morgan Archives
box FB-048, folder 10
box FB-048, folder 10
box FB-048, folder 10