Jock Sturges
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Jock Sturges (born 1947) is an American photographer, best known for his images of adolescents, usually taken nude. His work, often taken on the nude beaches of California and France, has been the subject of controversy.
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[edit] Biography
Sturges was born in New York City, and worked in San Francisco for many years. He graduated with a BFA in Perceptual Psychology and photography from Marlboro College in 1974, and received an MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985. He now resides in Seattle, Washington.
[edit] Criticism and legal troubles
Many of Sturges' works feature young girls and boys in the nude. As such, some critics have claimed that his work is child pornography disguised as fine art. In April 1990, FBI agents raided his studio, confiscating his equipment and his work, and alleged he was creating child pornography. The art world and naturist communities were enraged, and publicly defended him. After over a year of investigation, the case was thrown out by a grand jury. Eventually Sturges got most of his work and equipment back. Later in the same year, his work came under attack by Christian conservatives led by Operation Rescue and Focus on the Family. Protestors picketed at major bookstores around the country which stocked his works. Sturges received more support from civil libertarians and artistic associations. Sturges also defended himself through a series of talks and interviews.
[edit] Published works
His published collections include:
- The Last Day of Summer (1991, Aperture, NY) ISBN 0-89381-538-1
- Radiant Identities (1994, Aperture, NY)
- Evolution of Grace (1994, Gakken, Tokyo)
- Jock Sturges (1996, Scalo, Zürich)
- Jock Sturges: New Work, 1996-2000 (2000, Scalo, Zürich)
- Jock Sturges: Notes (2004, Aperture, NY)
- Jock Sturges (Color Monograph) (2007, Scalo, Zurich) Release March 2007
Other noted publications include:
- Montage (Graham Webb International)
- Standing on Water (Catalogue of Portfolio published by Paul Cava Fine Art, Philadelphia)
- Jock Sturges Color (Catalogue of Portfolio published by Ataraxia, Bensalem)
- Jock Sturges Twenty Five Years (2004, Paul Cava Fine Art/Jock Sturges)
