New Yorker staff writer and critic Hilton Als will discuss a hitherto little explored aspect of Diane Arbus’ work: her relationship to the city of her birth. Born in New York in 1923 to wealthy parents, Arbus lived and worked in the city until the time of her death in 1970. Manhattan–it’s architecture and self-invention–not only helped shape Arbus’ vision, but it formed her mythology–a kingdom of outsiders made inclusive by her powerful vision.
About Hilton Als
Hilton Als was named a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine in November 1996. He is also a former editor for the Village Voice and editor at large of Vibe magazine. Als is the recipient of a 2000 Guggenheim grant for creative writing, as well as a George Nathan Award for Dramatic criticism (2003). His first book, The Women, a meditation on gender and race and their roles in forging personal identity, was published in November 1996 and has received substantial critical acclaim. In 2009, Als worked with the performer Justin Bond on “Cold Water,” an exhibition of paintings, drawings, and videos by performers, at La MaMa Gallery. In 2010, he co-curated “Self-Consciousness,” at the Veneklasen Werner Gallery in Berlin, and published Justin Bond/Jackie Curtis (After Dark Publishing), his second book. Als has taught at Yale University, Wesleyan, and Smith College. Als has taught at Smith College, Wesleyan, and Yale University, and his work has also appeared in The Nation, The Believer, and the New York Review of Books. He lives in New York City.
The Scaler Summer Lecture Series at The Watermill Center is possible thanks to the generous support of the Scaler Foundation.
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