“We have to educate our perception; it has to be gathered and shepherded, and it needs something to graze upon.”
~ Frederick Sommer
(1905-1999)
Frederick Sommer (1905–1999) was an Italian-born American artist renowned for his experimental photography and conceptual approach to image-making. Known for works such as Livia (1948) and his use of double exposures, Sommer explored the connection between perception and imagination, once remarking, “When you go out to make a picture you find you are moved by something which is in agreement with an image you already held within yourself.”
Born in Angri, Italy, and raised in Brazil by German-speaking parents, Sommer earned an MA in landscape architecture from Cornell University before settling in Arizona in 1931. There, his friendships with Max Ernst, Man Ray, Dorothea Tanning, Edward Weston, and Ansel Adams shaped his artistic vision. In addition to photography, he created musical drawings and taught at the Institute of Design in Chicago. His work is held in major collections including the National Gallery of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.