About
Erotic photographer Jock Sturges
"When I
graduated from high school in 1966 I was faced with one
of three choices: go to college, be drafted into the war
in Vietnam or actively evade conscription. As I knew I
wasn’t ready for college, had no interest in killing
or being killed but nevertheless found unacceptable the
notion of dodging the draft so that a minority without my
social advantages could go in my place, I chose to enlist
in the US Navy. I didn't enjoy military service
particularly, but my four years were in fact fascinating
as I was stationed in Japan where I worked as a Russian
language communications specialist. Pursuing an interest
that had already begun to dominate my attention in
school, I also taught photography at special service
facilities and eventually was made base photographer as
well.
To our
mutual relief, the Navy and I got shut of each other in
1970 at which point I went directly from Japan to
Marlboro College in southern Vermont -- and much longer
hair. There I started out studying educational psychology
but ended up working with two psychologists from Cornell
and a photographer named Richard Benson on a cross
discipline degree in perceptual psychology and
photography. Summers, I worked in Newport, Rhode
Island photographing the plastic yachts and
children of the well to do. After college I continued to
live in Vermont for a few years working in the local
school system and moonlighting as a photographer and as a
paramedic with a rescue squad. I also worked for
the Experiment in International Living as a trip leader
to Russia and Japan for two summers. In the midst of all
this in 1972 I shifted my photography to the large
format (8x10) view camera and began the fine art effort
that has since become my life's work.
I worked
for Richard Benson for a year as a printer/business
manager in Newport, Rhode Island where we were printing
the negatives of Atget, Paul Strand, Gary Winogrand, and
Lisette Model among others. In 1978 I finally
pulled up stakes once and for all and moved west to
California’s meritocracy. I’ve worked in
many corners of the photographic medium since but from
the outset my commercial efforts specialized in classical
dance, fashion and portraiture. This work was all
accomplished in the winter months so that I would have my
summers free to concentrate on my personal work.
This work consists of life-time studies of girls, young
women and mothers and daughters accomplished in west
coast communes, on east coast beaches (Block Island,
Rhode Island), in naturist resorts on the Atlantic coast
of France and in small towns on the West Coast of
Ireland. I received a Masters degree (MFA)
from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985 which I like
to describe in retrospect as the least useful thing I
have ever done to eight thousand dollars. I lived
in San Francisco at the same address for 21 years and
have most recently moved with my wife, Maia, to Seattle,
Washington where she is a hardworking medical student and
I continue my work in a beautiful new lab.
My life at this point is entirely taken up with fine art
photography, the majority of which is done in France
which has become a second home. I have done
five major book in the last eight years: two with
Aperture, one in Japan with GAKKEN and, most recently two
with Scalo of Zurich Germany. I am currently represented
by 25 galleries in eight countries, have three more books
and numerous gallery and museum exhibitions in the works
and a full program of workshop teaching lined up for 2001
-- 2002 as well."
We used to present
sample images from Mr. Sturges' books. However, due to
the nature of his model releases, he has politely
requested that we only present the covers from his books.
In 1990, the F.B.I. raided his studio and confiscated all
of his work and equipment, charging him with the
production of child pornography. It took a lawsuit and a
year to get his work and equipment back (although most of
the equipment had been damaged beyond repair.) The grand
jury, after being presented with 15 months worth of
investigative evidence, threw the case out with a
vengeance. It's extremely rare for a grand jury to throw
a case out because they are only shown the prosecution's
evidence. However, Sturges has been photographing the
same families for generations. The subjects of the
photographs flew out from Europe to testify on his
behalf. And, he takes the unusually considerate step of
requesting the subject's release for each exhibit of a
photograph, in which they are featured.
Most recently, Jock
Sturges' books have been subjected to legal
confrontations in Tennessee, Alabama and
Pittsburgh. Because the distributor and publisher
are facing criminal charges, SCALO is not making any more
copies of Jock Sturges (Museum fur Moderne...) available
unless and until the legal challenges have been resolved
in their favor.
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