Minor White Archive of Two Typed Letters on Photography plus a Christmas Card

Minor White discusses aspects of photography in two typed letters to his former student, Stuart Oring. Typed Letter Signed, on "aperture" magazine stationery, New York City, 4to ( 8 x 11 inches) Nov. 19, 1967. White was one of the founders of the photography magazine, "aperture," in 1952. White says, “there is no written material for the Evaluating Photography course” and that his book “now called Conscious Photography, is in a first draft stage… It seems that you should come here and spend a few days with the MMS.” He later writes, “I will give you all the help I can. A couple of days in personal talk will be most fitting.” White doesn’t agree with Oring’s (truncated) premise that photography can be used as a controlled visual communication process. White writes, “This seems redundant… photography communicates like mad every minute of the day, and while it works as other media do is purely academic nonsense.” He signs, "Cheerio, Minor."

The second typed letter on plain stationery, Dec. 2, 1967, is a response to a subsequent letter Oring sent. White refers to fellow photographers, Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. "Your latest letter clarifies the aim of your thesis quiet [sic] well. Ansel's 'theory of previsualization' has nothing to do with how communication occurs. It is concerned only with a mild degree of clarvoyance [sic] that is expected to be available in viewers at the time of seeing the images. Ed Westo[n] had no theories of communication that reached publication...." White explains his own current work. "I am working with people and their responses-reactions on a factual basis in relation to specific pictures and...persons...no theory involved...." White's comments serve to explain why he won't be Oring's Masters thesis advisor. He closes the letter kindly and signs, "Minor."

The third letter is a Museum of Modern Art Christmas Card, showing White's photograph, "Steely the Barb of Infinity," 1966. The recipient is not identified, but we presume it was addressed to Oring. The date is uncertain. White writes that "aperture is going again, the Sommer photos go in display Feb. at Carl Siembab Gallery in Boston...." He writes on the page facing the greeting. Above and below the printed, "Merry Christmas," he expands the holiday greeting and signs, "Minor." White exhibited at the Siembab Gallery in 1974. Minor White taught Stuart Oring at Rochester Institute of Technology in the late 1950s. They stayed in touch over the years as Oring pursued his study of photography. In 1970, Oring received an M.A. degree in communication from American University. His Masters thesis was titled, "A Comparative Investigation of Similarities and Differences in the Aesthetic Theories of Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Minor White. “ Oring also wrote additional articles about White. Additional images on request. (Inventory #: 4875)