STRINDBERG the photographer UCLA Powell Library Building December 6, 1999 - February 1, 2000
	"Strindberg: The Photographer," an exhibit of 57 photographs taken by Swedish playwright August Strindberg (1849-1912) or in collaboration with him, are on view in the Rotunda of the Powell Library from December 6, 1999, through February 1, 2000. The exhibition was curated by the Strindberg Museum in collaboration with Riksutsallninger and the Swedish Institute. Although primarily known today for his writing, Strindberg constantly sought new means of artistic expression, including photography. The works in the exhibit encompass both personal and biographical photographs as well as images that are more experimental in technique and content. Also on display are examples of his written work in the form of books and plays from the Library's collections.
August Strindberg (1849-1912) produced either by himself or in collaboration with others photographs, most of which are portraits. In the autumn of 1886 he photographed himself in various roles, while writing the final part of his autobiographical work "The Son of a Servant".
From the beginning of the 1890s Strindberg ascribed magical properties to photography. He felt he could enjoy telepathic contact with his wife and children. He created extreme close-up photographs that he called "psychological portraits".
	From 1892-1896 he produced photographs of an experimental character. He created astronomical photographs (celestographs) by exposing film for a long length of time under the night sky. He also created photograms of crystallizations. And in 1907-1908, he undertook photographic cloud studies which he described in his "Occult Diary". Dec 12, 1999