Tulsa (book)
Encyclopedia
Tulsa is a collection of black-and-white
photographs by Larry Clark
of the life of young people in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. Its publication in 1971 "caused a sensation within the photographic community", leading to a new interest in autobiographical work.
Later better known for directing the movie Kids
, Clark was a Tulsa native and a drug addict during the period (1963–1971) when he took the photographs. The book is prefaced by the statement:
Tulsa, Clark's first book, was published in 1971 by Lustrum Press, owned by Ralph Gibson
. It has been claimed that thanks to Gene Pitney
's 1960 song "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa
", Tulsa then represented "young love and family values"; Clark's book challenged this with scenes of young people having sex, shooting up drugs, and playing with guns.
Clark has said that he "didn't take these photographs as a voyeur, but as a participant in the phenomenon", and commentary on the book has emphasized how Clark did not just live with the teenagers portrayed but "did drugs with them, slept with them, and included himself in the photographs"; this conferred an authenticity on the work, which brought it great praise.
Criticism of Tulsa has not been limited to a visceral rejection of images of drugtaking, casual sex, and gunplay; Martin Parr
and Gerry Badger
say that the "incessant focus [of Tulsa and Clark's 1983 book Teenage Lust] on the sleazy aspect of the lives portrayed, to the exclusion of almost anything else — whether photographed from the 'inside' or not — raises concerns about exploitation and drawing the viewer into a prurient, voyeuristic relationship with the work."
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
photographs by Larry Clark
Larry Clark
Lawrence Donald "Larry" Clark is an American film director, photographer, writer and film producer who is best known for the movie Kids and his photography book Tulsa...
of the life of young people in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. Its publication in 1971 "caused a sensation within the photographic community", leading to a new interest in autobiographical work.
Later better known for directing the movie Kids
Kids (film)
Kids is a 1995 drama film written by Harmony Korine and directed by Larry Clark.The film features Chloë Sevigny, Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce, Harold Hunter, and Rosario Dawson, all of them in their debut performances...
, Clark was a Tulsa native and a drug addict during the period (1963–1971) when he took the photographs. The book is prefaced by the statement:
i was born in tulsa oklahoma in 1943. when i was sixteen i started shooting amphetamine. i shot with my friends everyday for three years and then left town but i've gone back through the years. once the needle goes in it never comes out. L.C.
Tulsa, Clark's first book, was published in 1971 by Lustrum Press, owned by Ralph Gibson
Ralph Gibson
Ralph Gibson is an American art photographer best known for his photographic books. His images often incorporate fragments with erotic and mysterious undertones, building narrative meaning through contextualization and surreal juxtaposition.Ralph Gibson studied photography while in the US Navy and...
. It has been claimed that thanks to Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
's 1960 song "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa
Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa
"Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which was a hit for Gene Pitney. Its success in the UK enabled Pitney to become an international star. Jay and the Americans covered the song on their 1963 album, At the Cafe Wha? Dusty Springfield covered it on her...
", Tulsa then represented "young love and family values"; Clark's book challenged this with scenes of young people having sex, shooting up drugs, and playing with guns.
Clark has said that he "didn't take these photographs as a voyeur, but as a participant in the phenomenon", and commentary on the book has emphasized how Clark did not just live with the teenagers portrayed but "did drugs with them, slept with them, and included himself in the photographs"; this conferred an authenticity on the work, which brought it great praise.
Criticism of Tulsa has not been limited to a visceral rejection of images of drugtaking, casual sex, and gunplay; Martin Parr
Martin Parr
Martin Parr is a British documentary photographer, photojournalist and photobook collector. He is known for his photographic projects that take a critical look at aspects of modern life, in particular provincial and suburban life in England...
and Gerry Badger
Gerry Badger
Gerald David "Gerry" Badger is a writer about, and curator of photography, and a photographer.The two volumes of The Photobook: A History, which Badger co-wrote with Martin Parr, won the 2006 book award for photography from the Kraszna-Krausz Foundation...
say that the "incessant focus [of Tulsa and Clark's 1983 book Teenage Lust] on the sleazy aspect of the lives portrayed, to the exclusion of almost anything else — whether photographed from the 'inside' or not — raises concerns about exploitation and drawing the viewer into a prurient, voyeuristic relationship with the work."
Photographic Technique
Clark discusses his techniques in the book Darkroom, published in 1977 by Lustrum Press. Referring specifically to Tulsa he says: "i do a lot of burning and dodging when making a print and then use bleach. there's not a straight print in the TULSA book. when i'm photographing i always try to shoot against the light (refers to the cover image from Tulsa entitled 'Dead,1970') the film can't handle this and everything gets burned up, since i'm exposing for the shadows."Exhibitions and collections
- George Eastman HouseGeorge Eastman HouseThe George Eastman House is the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in Rochester, New York, USA. World-renowned for its photograph and motion picture archives, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and...
(Rochester, New YorkRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
) possesses the fifty prints used to make the original book. - The International Center of PhotographyInternational Center of PhotographyThe International Center of Photography is a photography museum, school, and research center in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
(New York) has shown the prints, together with others not included in the book. - The Groninger MuseumGroninger MuseumThe Groninger Museum is a museum of modern and contemporary art in Groningen, Netherlands.-Background:Although not as well known as other Dutch institutions of fine art, the Groninger Museum was founded in 1894...
(Groningen) bought the series of prints in 1998 and exhibited them in January–April 2005. - Maison européenne de la photographieMaison européenne de la photographieThe Maison Européenne de la Photographie, situated in the historic heart of Paris, is a major centre for contemporary photographic art. Since February 1996 it has housed an exhibition centre, a large library, an auditorium, and a video viewing facility with a wide selection of films...
(ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) showed the series from October 2007 to January 2008. - The Columbia Museum of ArtColumbia Museum of ArtThe Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina has a collection of European and American fine and decorative art that spans several centuries...
shows the series from October 2009 till February 2009. - The Whitney Museum holds 69 works by Clark including the cover image from Tulsa.
Editions
- Tulsa. New York: Lustrum Press, 1971. Paperback.
- Tulsa. New York: Larry Clark, [1979] ("1971"). Hardback.
- Tulsa. 1983.
- Tarusa / Tulsa. Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery. 1996. Hardback. Edition of 1000.
- Tulsa. New York: Grove, 2000. Hardback in slipcase, with print. Edition of 250. ISBN 0802116787.
- Tulsa. New York: Grove, 2000. Hardback. ISBN 0802116779.
- Tulsa. New York: Grove, 2000. Paperback. ISBN 0802137482.