Paul Fusco (photographer)
Encyclopedia
Paul Fusco is an American
photojournalist who has been associated with Magnum Photos
since 1973.
in 1930 and started pursuing photography
as a hobby in 1945. During the Korean War
from 1951 to 1953 he gained more experience with it as he worked as a photographer for the United States Army Signal Corps
. After the war he studied photojournalism
at Ohio University
, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in 1957. From there, he moved to New York City to work professionally as a photographer.
Fusco first worked for Look
. He became an associate of Magnum Photos
in 1973 and a full member a year later. Over the years, Fusco also contributed to such publications as Life
, Mother Jones
, the New York Times Magazine, Newsweek
, Psychology Today
, and Time
. His photography often documented social issues and injustices, such as poverty
, ghetto
life, and cultural experimentation across America. He also worked internationally covering events in Europe
, the Middle East
, and Southeast Asia
. In the late 1990s he spent two months documenting the legacy of the Chernobyl
meltdown in Belarus
.
Fusco moved to Mill Valley, California
in the 1980s but is now based in New York City. Many of his photographs are in the Magnum Photos archive currently held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
photojournalist who has been associated with Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
since 1973.
Biography
Fusco was born in Leominster, MassachusettsLeominster, Massachusetts
Leominster is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 40,759 at the 2010 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and west of Boston. Both Route 2 and Route 12 pass through Leominster. Interstate 190,...
in 1930 and started pursuing photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
as a hobby in 1945. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
from 1951 to 1953 he gained more experience with it as he worked as a photographer for the United States Army Signal Corps
United States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
. After the war he studied photojournalism
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in 1957. From there, he moved to New York City to work professionally as a photographer.
Fusco first worked for Look
Look (American magazine)
Look was a bi-weekly, general-interest magazine published in Des Moines, Iowa from 1937 to 1971, with more of an emphasis on photographs than articles...
. He became an associate of Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos
Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo...
in 1973 and a full member a year later. Over the years, Fusco also contributed to such publications as Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
, the New York Times Magazine, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, Psychology Today
Psychology Today
Psychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...
, and Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
. His photography often documented social issues and injustices, such as poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
life, and cultural experimentation across America. He also worked internationally covering events in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. In the late 1990s he spent two months documenting the legacy of the Chernobyl
Chernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
meltdown in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
Fusco moved to Mill Valley, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the 1980s but is now based in New York City. Many of his photographs are in the Magnum Photos archive currently held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Books
- Paul Fusco: RFK, Aperture, USA, 2008 ISBN 978-1597110792
- Chernobyl Legacy, de.Mo, USA, 2001 (view images here) ISBN 978-0970576804
- RFK Funeral Train, Umbrage/Magnum USA, 2000 (view images here) ISBN 978-1884167058
- Marina & Ruby: Training a Filly with Love, William Morrow, USA, 1977 ISBN 978-0688032296
- The Photo Essay: Paul Fusco & Will McBride, Crowell, USA, 1974 ASIN B001IOV0RE
- What to Do Until the Messiah Comes, Collier, USA, 1971 ASIN B000JJY6KW
- La Causa: The California Grape Strike, Collier, USA, 1970 ASIN B000M4HM3W
- Sense Relaxation: Below the Mind, Collier, USA, 1968 ISBN 978-0671786281