America opera singer Jessye Norman
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

Photographer Yousuf Karsh Opens the Doors of History

What is the best way to introduce the life and work of a great artist to young students?

• Invite them to see the work firsthand, because the real thing breathes so much more life than a pixel-ridden online rendition.
• Let them come inside the art in a way that is personal to them.
• Encourage them to become, for just a moment, one of the heroes of the world.

Creative inspiration comes in many forms. For 700 students in the Paris region, an exhibit of Yousuf Karsh’s photographs opened the doors of history and imagination in a memorable way. “Oh, I see” moments came fast and creatively.

Students from Montreuil study Yousuf Karsh’s 20th century heroes.
© Meredith Mullins

The students were part of an innovative educational project focused on “Icons of the 20^th Century”—an exhibition of Karsh’s portraits sponsored by the Mona Bismarck American Center for Art and Culture in Paris.

The exhibition included 72 images of French and American men and women who shaped the 20^th Century—in the arts, politics, science, and sports.

Students learn about Karsh’s life and about the heroes in the photographs.
© Meredith Mullins

An Interactive Project

Students selected a photograph from the exhibit that attracted them, whether they knew the subject or not.

Their picture was taken in the style of that person and photograph. They “became” the icon for one brief click of the shutter.

They then wrote an essay about the person in the photo so that they learned more about how their “icon” had impact on the world.

Ayoub becomes Muhammad Ali for one moment before the camera.
(Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (1970)
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

The students had many powerful images from which to choose—Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Jacques Cousteau, Ernest Hemmingway, Charles de Gaulle, I.M Pei, Georgia O’Keefe, Marcel Marceau, Albert Camus. The list is limitless.

Karsh was a master portraitist. In 15,312 sittings over his life as a photographer, he captured the pulse of history.

Marie-Jo becomes her hero, Jessye Norman.
© Meredith Mullins

As one of the Paris students aptly described:

“What truly set Yousuf Karsh apart from other photographers and what made him a successful photographer was his ability to make somebody feel special, and to capture that moment. His photographs were not just photographs; they were the essence of a person captured in an image.”

—Sofia, Marymount International School

The Galleries Buzz with Life

When classes arrived at the galleries, the rooms came alive. Students moved from one photo to the next, eyes wide, notebooks in hand.

As curator Jerry Fielder noted, “It’s one thing to see a Karsh print in reproduction, but seeing actual prints brings the subjects to life in a very personal and intimate way.”

Mariam stikes a pose similar to Karsh’s photo of Brigitte Bardot.
© Meredith Mullins

French actress Brigitte Bardot
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

How Do You Pick a Hero?

Often, the students did not know the subjects of the photos. They were intrigued by a gesture, a look in the eyes, a similar physical feature, or some mysterious magnetism.

Sometimes they knew just enough to know that the person had impact on the world or to know that they wanted to be like that particular person in some way.

Dany chose Albert Einstein because “he looked deep in thought, perhaps wondering about his theories.”

Mathéo chose Walt Disney because he is “a fan of what he created (including Mickey Mouse!). Thanks to him and his creativity, he imagined for us a wonderful world.”

Kephren chose Jacques Henri Lartigue because “he looked intelligent and patient, like he could listen to you for an hour.”

Lucca chose Ronald Reagan because Reagan was an American president from his home state of California.

Lucca, a thoughtful future president?
© Aslam Amlani

Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

For some, the choice was easy. They were moved by what they saw.

Chahin, a future scientist, chose Albert Einstein. “As soon as I saw his photograph in the exhibition, I only saw him in the museum.”

Camille chose Martin Luther King “due to the instinctive emotion I felt. Facing the portrait of the man who changed the course of history by devoting his life to the fight for equality, I had goose bumps.”

Many of the students seemed to transcend stereotypes. They saw no reason they could not personify someone of a different gender, race, or cultural background. They sensed, like Karsh, the inner spirit of the subject.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

One of the most interesting responses was by a student who chose Andy Warhol. Zoé noticed the shiny paintbrush, his art tool, and commented that, now, everyone has a “tool of art” whether it’s a mobile phone or some other device.

American artist Andy Warhol
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

Zoé shows that we all own “tools of art” in the 21st century.
Image courtesy of Mona Bismarck American Center

In the essay, Zoé provided a thought-provoking analysis of the speed of art and the nature of contemporary life.

“Hopefully you will take at least 5 seconds to glance at my photo, and if I’m really lucky 10 more seconds to browse through my essay. Compared to the 15 minutes of fame predicted by Andy Warhol in 1968, these 15 seconds may be the new law of our time.”

An OIC moment of truth from the wisdom of youth.

Beyond the Walls of the Galleries

The project took the students beyond the walls of the galleries . . . and even beyond the boundaries of time.

Emma chose Martin Luther King, Jr. for his determination.
© Meredith Mullins

American activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King, Jr.
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

Sonia El Khalfi, a teacher at one of the schools that participated, explained.

“When I questioned the students about the importance of remembering the past—our duty to remember—someone noted that the 20th century was crowded with iconic figures. What about the 21^st, the students asked? Are we going to have new important characters who will make history like the ones Karsh photographed?”

It will be up to this generation to make that happen. The future is theirs.

Let’s keep the creative inspiration coming.

The ‘Icons of the 20^th Century” exhibit is open until January 26 at the Mona Bismarck American Center for Art and Culture. Don’t miss the display of the results of the student project there also.

With special thanks to Danielle Berger Fortier, Director of Exhibitions and Programs at Mona Bismarck, Sonia El Khalfi and College Jean Jaures, Marymount International School, and Institut d’Enseignement Supérieur des Arts.

Thank you also to Jerry Fielder, curator of the “Icons of the 20th Century” exhibition and to Julie Grahame for facilitating the use of the Yousuf Karsh photos in this article.

Yousuf Karsh photographs are also on exhibit at the Monterey Museum of Art in Monterey, California, from January 16–March 31, 2014, and at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. until April 27, 2014.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.