Stories - Life Stories
Stories 545 Interviews 31
Our stories are about how people make sense of their own lives, how they can shed light on our lives, and how we are connected to one another, to history, and to the larger human story.
Comparing Parks' submitted photographs to Life Magazine's published selections
Entering the Vietnam Memorial competition as a Yale senior
Admiring combat photographers for their courage alongside their craft
Recognizing the significance of Binghamton's avant-garde arts scene in retrospect
Reflecting on Life Magazine's creative freedom and financial support
Transition to quilting as a practical solution for traveling exhibitions
Memories of Jonas Mekas' energy and optimism shortly before his death
Gordon Parks' transition from photographer to world-renowned filmmaker and cultural figure
Logistical challenges of transmitting disaster and event photos before TV competition
Gordon Parks's photography of Muhammad Ali and its technical influence
Debating the definition and evolving nature of the avant-garde
“I am what I am not because America gave me opportunity. I am what I am because I became who I am despite the suffocation that Americans more often put in my path than the windows of opportunity.”
Harry Belafonte
Discovering underground cinema as a perfect fit for his ambitions
Discovery of photography as a voice, purpose, and compass during a turbulent youth
Awakening during the Andrea Doria disaster and documenting survivor rescue efforts
Humor, sadness, and the creative process behind New Yorker cartoons
Mekas' financial struggles and Waters' own experiences with poverty as an artist
Transfer to a comfortable villa after months of captivity in Libya
Shared immigrant experience and the value of cultural cross-pollination among artists
First learning about Jonas Mekas and reflections on language and identity as an immigrant
Gordon Parks' collaboration with Life Magazine and the Nation of Islam story