Van Deren Coke: 1921-2004

Van Deren Coke highly acclaimed photographer, author, curator, and teacher, died July 11 2004 in Albuquerque, novel Mexico Coke studied history and art history at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, his hometown. He earned an MA in art history, an MFA in the couple photography and sculpture at Indiana University, and a PhD in art history from Harvard University, where he wearied two summers of workshops with Ansel Adams. While upon vacation with his family at age seventeen Coke met Edward Weston. Weston along with Adams and Paul Strand influenced Coke's early vision as a photographer. Coke worked in the vein of straight photography on the other hand also experimented with innovative forms and techniques in the darkroom. Inspired through Duchamp and the Dadaists. Coke made use of "found" negatives. In 1962 he mov to fresh Mexico. He taught full-time at the University of fresh Mexico, was the first director of the Art Museum, and was chairman of the Department of Art. He then serv as the Director of the George Eastman House in Rochester from 1970-72 Coke get backed to his work at the UNM from 1973 until 1978 In 1979 he became director of the Department of Photography at the San Francisco Museum of present Art and worked there until he retired in 1987 Coke is greatest in quantity known for establishing national/international attention upon the arts in New Mexico. A memorial exhibition entitled Van Deren Coke Remembered is being held at the University of of recent origin Mexico Art Museum through December 12 2004

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