Editta Sherman
Encyclopedia
Editta Sherman is an Italian-American photographer, often referred to as the "Duchess of Carnegie Hall", since she lived and worked in Carnegie Hall
Artist Studios for over 60 years. Originally formed as a diverse artist enclave and bohemian work-live rental studios to financially support Andrew Carnegie's struggling concert hall, Editta's home from the 1940s until 2010 allowed her to be part of a unique artistic community of neighbors. Her life's work consists of thousands of historical large format 8×10 negative camera portrait images taken of celebrities, writers, poets, models, sports heroes, politicians, and many others (including many of the famed former tenants of Carnegie Hall).
Currently at age 98, she lived in Carnegie Hall until July 2010, and continued to work there until September 2010, having become an icon for renter's rights and affordable housing for the elderly in fighting eviction against the City of New York, the current owner of Carnegie Hall. All former residents have now relocated, and The Carnegie Hall Corporation plans to demolish the commercial and residential studios — which in their 1950s Bohemian heyday numbered as many as 170 — to create educational and rehearsal space for the hall. The $200 million project is to be completed in 2014.
Editta was the oldest of eight children born to Nunzio and Pierna Rinaldo, immigrants who moved to the United States from Italy in 1910. Her father operated a photography studio in New Jersey where Editta learned the art at a young age. Editta married in 1935 to husband, Harold Sherman, a sound engineer and inventor, as well as her business partner. He died at the early age of 50 years old, after suffering blindness and diabetes, leaving Editta with five young children to bring up as a single mother. She and her husband were instrumental in raising charity funds for the American Theatre Wing
during World War II by volunteering to take portraits of Hollywood stars to aid in the American war effort.
She was a muse of Andy Warhol
who filmed her with filmmaker Paul Morrissey
in the 1970s.
Editta was a model as well as photographer. She was photographed by famed fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo
and symbolized aging gracefully at age 60 years old in his book "On Beauty" in the 1970s. A decade-long collaboration with her long-time friend and neighbor, Bill Cunningham (photographer)
(William J. Cunningham, New York Times Fashion Photographer) resulted in the Fashion Institute of Technology
/Penguin Books 1978 publication of their book Facades, visually detailing 200 years of fashion and New York City architecture.
In November 1967 Kodak Films sponsored a solo exhibit of Editta's celebrity portraits in a three-week public show at Grand Central Terminal
, in New York City.
Editta is the grandmother and great-grandmother to 25 children, and is renowned for her homemade soups which she makes from scratch (and left at her Carnegie Hall neighbors' doors for years).
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
Artist Studios for over 60 years. Originally formed as a diverse artist enclave and bohemian work-live rental studios to financially support Andrew Carnegie's struggling concert hall, Editta's home from the 1940s until 2010 allowed her to be part of a unique artistic community of neighbors. Her life's work consists of thousands of historical large format 8×10 negative camera portrait images taken of celebrities, writers, poets, models, sports heroes, politicians, and many others (including many of the famed former tenants of Carnegie Hall).
Currently at age 98, she lived in Carnegie Hall until July 2010, and continued to work there until September 2010, having become an icon for renter's rights and affordable housing for the elderly in fighting eviction against the City of New York, the current owner of Carnegie Hall. All former residents have now relocated, and The Carnegie Hall Corporation plans to demolish the commercial and residential studios — which in their 1950s Bohemian heyday numbered as many as 170 — to create educational and rehearsal space for the hall. The $200 million project is to be completed in 2014.
Editta was the oldest of eight children born to Nunzio and Pierna Rinaldo, immigrants who moved to the United States from Italy in 1910. Her father operated a photography studio in New Jersey where Editta learned the art at a young age. Editta married in 1935 to husband, Harold Sherman, a sound engineer and inventor, as well as her business partner. He died at the early age of 50 years old, after suffering blindness and diabetes, leaving Editta with five young children to bring up as a single mother. She and her husband were instrumental in raising charity funds for the American Theatre Wing
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing is a New York City-based organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre," according to its mission statement...
during World War II by volunteering to take portraits of Hollywood stars to aid in the American war effort.
She was a muse of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
who filmed her with filmmaker Paul Morrissey
Paul Morrissey
Paul Morrissey is an American film director, best-known for his association with Andy Warhol.Morrissey attended Ampleforth College, a private Roman Catholic boarding school and Fordham University, both Roman Catholic schools, and later served in the United States Army...
in the 1970s.
Editta was a model as well as photographer. She was photographed by famed fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo
Francesco Scavullo
Francesco Scavullo was an American fashion photographer best known for his work on the covers of Cosmopolitan and his celebrity portraits.-Biography:...
and symbolized aging gracefully at age 60 years old in his book "On Beauty" in the 1970s. A decade-long collaboration with her long-time friend and neighbor, Bill Cunningham (photographer)
Bill Cunningham (photographer)
William J. Cunningham is a fashion photographer for The New York Times, known for his candid and street photography.-Life and career:...
(William J. Cunningham, New York Times Fashion Photographer) resulted in the Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
/Penguin Books 1978 publication of their book Facades, visually detailing 200 years of fashion and New York City architecture.
In November 1967 Kodak Films sponsored a solo exhibit of Editta's celebrity portraits in a three-week public show at Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
, in New York City.
Editta is the grandmother and great-grandmother to 25 children, and is renowned for her homemade soups which she makes from scratch (and left at her Carnegie Hall neighbors' doors for years).