The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

Be Who You Are: Portraits of Woodstock Artists by Harriet Tannin

Curated by Wayne Lempka

February 4 - July 23, 2023
Seminar Room Gallery

Harriet Tannin, Mary Frank, 1982, Collection Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz, Gift of Albert H. Tannin

In 1981, Woodstock artist and photographer Harriet Tannin (1929–2009) began to create a series of portraits of artists who were residents of this well-known and vibrant artistic community. The goal of Tannin’s project was to produce 100 portraits which would not only capture their diversity and spirit but to also provide a glimpse into the type of works they produced in their Woodstock studios. The result of this monumental undertaking, 100 Portraits of Woodstock Artists, was completed in 1983.

Man sitting in chair looking back at you — Harriet Tannin, Al Held, 1983, Collection Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz, Gift of Dr. Albert H. Tannin

Tannin encouraged all her subjects to decide how they wished to be memorialized by her camera lens. At the conclusion of this project, Tannin returned to each photographed artist with two mounted prints: one for the participant to keep and one for them to sign—or, if they so desired, to add a simple thought in pencil to the front of the work which would act as an additional means of keeping their voice alive for generations of viewers to come.

Harriet Tannin earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from SUNY New Paltz in 1975. These photographs were generously donated to the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art by Harriet’s husband, Dr. Albert H. Tannin.

Man in hat sitting in chair next to portrait painting — Harriet Tannin, Brock, 1981, Collection Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz, Gift of Dr. Albert H. Tannin