William Eggleston

William Eggleston, an American photographer, is renowned for his contributions to the field of color photography.

Biography of William Eggleston

Born in 1939 in Memphis, Tennessee, William Eggleston was raised in Sumner, Mississippi. His fascination with visual media began early, as he enjoyed buying postcards and cutting out pictures from magazines.

Sent to the Webb School, a boarding establishment, at the age of 15, Eggleston's educational journey included stints at Vanderbilt University, Delta State College, and the University of Mississippi. However, he did not complete any degrees. Despite this, his passion for photography ignited when a friend at Vanderbilt gifted him a Leica camera. At the University of Mississippi, he was introduced to abstract expressionism by visiting painter Tom Young.

Eggleston's venture into experimenting with color photography took shape in 1965 and 1966. Later, he taught at Harvard in 1973 and 1974, where he encountered dye-transfer printing, a process that resulted in some of his most striking works, including the iconic 1973 photograph, "The Red Ceiling."

The year 1974 brought a Guggenheim Fellowship to Eggleston, and during his time at Harvard, he curated his first portfolio, "14 Pictures" (1974). His work was showcased at MoMA in 1976.

In the 1970s, Eggleston delved into video experimentation, creating several hours of roughly edited footage known as "Stranded in Canton." He also collaborated with filmmakers, capturing the set of John Huston's film "Annie" (1982) and documenting the making of David Byrne's film "True Stories" (1986).

Acknowledging his significant contributions, Eggleston received the Hasselblad Award in 1998 and an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2003. 

William Eggleston's Art Style

Eggleston's early foray into photography drew inspiration from the works of Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank and the book "The Decisive Moment" by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

The inception of his color photography journey can be traced back to 1965 when he crossed paths with William Christenberry. By 1960, Eggleston had committed to using color transparency as a primary medium throughout his career.

Employing the dye-transfer print technique, which produces vivid and intense color, Eggleston's mature work is distinguished by its focus on ordinary subject matter. His compositions capture the essence of everyday life, featuring scenes like gas stations, diners, and parking lots.

Eggleston released several portfolios, including "Election Eve" in 1976, "The Morals of Vision" in 1978, and "Troubled Waters" in 1980.

His extensive exhibition history includes solo shows at prestigious venues such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Fondation Cartier in Paris, Hasselblad Center in Göteborg, Sweden, the Louisiana Museum in Copenhagen, and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC.